Little Timmy always wanted befriend and help the animals in the neighborhood which were going about their animal business. Rabbits, mice, snakes, frogs, sparrows and blue jays. It seemed to me they should all recognize my good intentions, (and perhaps ignore the many tadpole which died under my well intentioned stewardship.
I wanted to take care of them and to help them. But I didn’t listen to them. They all spoke clearly in the voices of their bodies, freezing in place, or running away. A door mouse I got my hands fought back, biting me—hard.
Today, it’s still disconcerting that my best intentions can be harmful. It makes little sense. If a person would only listen to my guidance I know they would be better off. So I ignore their fighting (protestations, their freezing (silence), and their tuning me out (fleeing). I ignore arms that are crossed. I begrudge a person walking away from me. I’ve even offer the same idea to a person each time I see them. Repeatedly
I want to help so badly. I’ve been sure my answer is the best solution, but the real answer, (perhaps the grown up answer?) is to listen and observe without forcing a person into the jar of my best intentions. The answer is, when a person asks to offer my thoughts freely and let a person accept or decline on their own terms.
timmyr.com 