
The other day I got in a little altercation with Rowan.
"Look at me!", Sam said. He was about ready to jump off the couch arm onto the couch
for the fiftieth time, and wanted Rowan to be his witness. But she was jaded.
"I already watched you do that," she said drily.
I happened to be walking past, "Rowan, look at Sam."
She refused. I insisted. I pointed her body toward Sam's, and she closed her eyes. I
tried to open her eyelids and she curled up in a little ball. Two stubborn people
locked in a battle of wills, and she was winning. Finally I tossed her away in disgust.
"You don't get to watch me play any video games today," I said, spitefully...the
ultimate threat.

Then I walked off, but I didn't feel right about the whole thing. I hadn't had any
right to tell her to look at Sam if she didn't want to, and I had acted just like a
stubborn child about the whole thing.
Finally, hours later, I did my best to make it right. I apologized. I said I was sorry
and that I was kind of acting like a kid, and as a grown-up, I should know better.
"Does this mean I can watch video games then?" she asked.
Later on, Ben and Rzan told me that she had written me a little note about how to be a
grown-up. "Realllllly?" I said. I wanted to know her advice.
I finally located the note. I'd just scan it but it was written in yellow colored
pencil:
How to stay grown up
1. Act like it.
2. Feel like it.
3. Do it.
Not bad advice.