The Problem with Krypton Is...

Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman played by Henry Cavill

The other night I watched Man of Steel with my dad and was almost dumbfounded with the realization that Kryptonians were bred around the time Kal-El (Superman) was born. The scene in which General Zod (the bad guy) furiously attacks Superman after his ship is returned to the Phantom Zone was the source of my epiphany. He says that because of Kal-El he now has no purpose because his only purpose in life, what he was bred to do, was protect Krypton and ensure it's survival.

The short interchange between Superman and General Zod took me by surprise because, as an ethnocentric being, I assumed that General Zod had become an official by his own will. Instead, he was bred to assume that role in Kryptonian society. Crazy, no?

General Zod played by Michael Shannon

The interesting thing is, humans kind of did that too. Throughout human history, there have been people raised to think or expected that they can only be a certain way, or have a certain occupation. Children growing up to take on the family business, young men attending a seminary because it was expected of the family to produce a priest, young women marrying for the sake of the family's reputation and/or finances. Although the circumstances are different, the principle is similar.

What about the Christian concept of Free Will. Do humans have free will? If not, are we not toy-things of a higher being? If yes, are not we in control of our destinies and therefore higher beings? There are so many questions one could ask!

Towards the end of the film, Superman tells a government official, "I'm here to help, but only on my own terms." That, to me, sums up the human experience. We provide ourselves in whatever capacity we can, when we want to. We offer up our individual talents to each other on a daily basis and it is all interwoven into an ever-changing world. Ultimately, no one can force us to be anything we are not. Therein lies our power as humans. 

Spend a Whole Day Reading a Novel: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

I knew for this challenge I would want to pick the right book, not just any book I had on hand. I began reading it the night before and I knew that that I wanted to spend the entire day with it, reading, reflecting, and processing it.

The novel is about Hattie Shepherd and the raising of her children in 20th-century Philadelphia. Hattie, an African-American, struggles to provide for her children with her husband August who ends up being more of a disappointment to her than anything else. A tragedy early on in their marriage results in a lifetime of anger and resentment for Hattie. Her children, raised with her callousness, go on to lead very different lives and constantly ache for their mother's love. The brief snapshots into her and her children's lives, however, provide insight to the inner workings of the Shepherd family and Hattie's immense love for her children.

Throughout the tales of Hattie and her children, I contemplated my future family and reflected on my own familial relations. As much as I say I do not like children, I actually do. I just don't feel comfortable with them because I do not know where my boundaries are as a stranger. I am neither a parent nor other family member, so what can I do to show my affection and well-being for the child? I would love to show affection for young'uns because that's how I feel most comfortable with children.

Hattie, on the other hand, worked immensely to keep her children fed and clothed. Some might consider this an implied responsibility of mothership, but with the constant barrage of hardships she had endured I consider this quite a feat for her. Hattie felt as though there was no more love in her to be given after doing all that was necessary for her children.

At one point, Hattie blames herself for not recognizing her daughter's distress. She says, "I never did know what to do about my children's spirits. I didn't know how to health anybody in that way." My compassion for her rose to new heights as I read those lines. What I saw in those lines was a woman exhausted by providing for her family trying to be a better mother. She gave no excuses, she simply stated her faults. 

I wonder how much I will change my response to children if I do become a parent. I can now discern the love my parents and grandparents expressed in doing what was necessary for me, especially when I did not appreciate it, but I wonder if I will have the fortitude to do that for my children if the time comes... 

The Difficulty of Speaking with Children

I am very uncomfortable around children that are not related to me. I am always afraid I will overstep some social/personal boundary that will make parents and kids alike disapprove of me. I am all too aware of the phrase "stranger danger" and my consistent over-analytical perspective, however, I cannot help feeling tongue-tied whenever I am around a child.

Today we were able to speak with two seasoned pediatric nurses about their experiences in communicating with children. I was in awe of their demeanor and of their attitude toward their patients. I commented on my lack of ease around children and asked them whether it was possible to overcome my boundary fear. They responded warmly that in peds (short for pediatrics), boundaries cease to exist as one gets to know one's patient and patient's family. The nurses spoke about desensitizing the patient to their role through simple measures such as prolonged presence, fleeting touch, and speech pattern.

Part of treating a peds patient is acknowledging their needs based on their age group as well as their individual needs. For instance, if a school-aged peds patient is undergoing surgery one might try to explain the procedure based on the patient's interest in learning and give them some sort of responsibility used toward the burgeoning sense of competence. One might also encourage the patient to then explain the procedure to his or her family.

I do not want to make it seem as though I can now be the child whisperer (that is creepy and should probably not even be uttered facetiously), but by keeping those concepts and tips in the back of my mind, I hope I can now make positive contact with a child unrelated to me. (I have tried re-writing the previous sentence to make it sound less creepy, but let's be honest, a post talking about talking to children is already walking a fine line.)