A Child's History of Fairness

A Child's History of Fairness

“It’s just not fair!!” Pouting and angry, the little girl sat on a child’s chair in front of her mother.

Her mother took a slow deep breath. In a quiet, soft voice, she said “I know honey, but the Public Health Nurse said you need to stay inside.”

“It’s still not fair.”

~~~~~

I don’t know if that’s the conversation that I had with my mother when I had measles as a child of about five years old. How does any parent explain to their child that little red, itchy spots could make them go blind? And that staying in the dark when all the other kids are playing outside would stop the other kids from getting sick? How does a parent explain that the liquid in a little syringe with a needle will help her to play outside again?

Hearing kids laughing, running and playing outside my window today returning home from school was the trigger for this memory. Almost seventy years later, this long standing memory could be faulty about the actual words. But not just the drapes dark, with lime green designs. There were no other kids around. Not even brothers or sisters. I don’t remember feeling sick, but vaguely remember the spots and definitely the dark drapes.

It just wasn’t fair then and I’m certain that for every kid surviving this Covid pandemic, it doesn’t feel fair now.

“We’re all five-year-olds. We don’t know how to do 

this thing called life. Are you faking it?”

~ Byron Katie