Agency

 



My sassy little kindergarten friend was not happy to go with me, as I was there to reprimand her.  On only her second day of earning independent bathroom privileges she had emptied multiple soap dispensers onto the floor and made a huge mess.  


In dramatic style she let me know she was not interested in my having caught her or the consequence which includes cleaning it up and then reflecting with me and making a plan for better behavior.  She also knew her privileges would again be revoked.


As I brought her into my room she furrowed her eyebrows and scowled at me.  


I pointed to the chair and said firmly, "You will sit on this chair for five minutes and think about what you will do differently next time."


She crossed her arms on her chest, raises her chin and squinted her eyes into a serious glare.  Then she defiantly stated, "You can make me sit on this chair, but I'm going to

think about my dad going fishing!"


I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing .  Her spunk is admirable even if it still needs reined in.  


But you know what? She was right.  I can't control her thoughts.  Only she can do that.


Freedom of will, freedom of choice, freedom of thought.  These are all a part of our agency; but with agency must also be accountability.  


Wayne S Peterson instructed, "The decisions we make and the way we behave are what ultimately shape our character. Charles A. Hall aptly described that process in these lines: “We sow our thoughts, and we reap our actions; we sow our actions, and we reap our habits; we sow our habits, and we reap our characters; we sow our characters, and we reap our destiny."


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