Onion Skins
How sensitive are you to criticism?
The children were all playing when one of them got pinched by a little boy! Of course, he ran away quickly. Suddenly the tears began to flow on the little girls face. Bullying can happen at any age and it hurts. Sometimes children learn to be tough and pretend that it didn’t hurt, but it really does. As it turned out the little girl talked with her mother about the little boys behavior and got healthy ways to deal with it.
The way the adult in charge handles small children can help. In this case the little boy was corrected and the little girls feelings were heard. Sometimes one may still feel unheard after trying to explain. As children endure bullying or being picked on, they can also take on the same behavior if it isn’t addressed properly. Feelings may be left to fester or be painful.
That is also true of criticism. Whether it is constructive, or not, it may sting. That is especially true when one has put great effort into a cause and it comes out all wrong. These incidents may not related to being a child. Similar things happen in adulthood. Work, community, and volunteer settings provide places for hurt feelings too. One’s efforts to improve situations may go unnoticed.
Onion skins are delicate and fall apart easily. If torn off quickly there are the onions juices that are ruptured and cause tears. If you think someone you know is thin skinned, do you egg them on or help them out? Do you criticize and label them? Or do you take the time to talk and share ways of handling situations? We are after all responsible for helping one another succeed in life. What goes around comes around and you may be the next one needing help. Embrace one another in loving words and kind examples. Be consistent, kind, and genuine.
Onion skins can be beautiful
When one does not feel appreciated, they may drop out of the scene. Have you ever felt unappreciated? Has your boss criticized you unfairly? Has an instructor given you a backhanded compliment that hurt? Has someone else been given credit for your contributions and left you out on a limb?
How does a person deal with these feelings? Is there a channel to vocalize a feeling of neglect? Are you stuck in a hard place because the HR department or school you are in make it difficult to voice a legitimate gripe?
People who are sensitive are often unjustly called “onion skinned”. I heard an older lady label one of her friends that way. I felt for the person being tagged and tried to speak up for her. I am not sure that even registered with the lady making the comment. Often people are insensitive and judgmental.
Hoping this brings a few questions your way for you to journal on today. Have a good one and “delight in living”!