11th Entry

Okay, so I went to the library once again today and was reading the book The Power Of Empathy by Arthur P. Ciaramicoli and Katherine Ketcham while I was babysitting and looked up acceptance in the back of the book and found a story of JFK that relates to my point so here's the passage:
Okay their telling a story of JFK after his death about his childhood:
"Many years ago o a ski slope, John Jr. was crying. His uncle Bobby came up to th boy, put an arm around his shoulder and said, 'Kennedy's don't cry.'
John lookd up at his uncle and said, simply, 'This Kennedy cries.'
With insight and wisdow far beyond his years, a young boy speaks to the truth of who he is. I am not like everyone else, he announces to the world. I am unique, my own person, my own individual self. Even in my weakness-no, especially in my weakness-I accept myself for who I am.
There is a poignant epilogue to the story. Hearing her son's words, Jackie Kennedy smiled proudly and offered him a hug, an affirming gesture that goes a long way explaining why John F. Kennedy Jr., was so accepting of himself. Encouraged by his mother to be himself, he was able to find courage to stand up for himself and defy other people's expectations of his behaivor. In the safe surrond of his mother's empathy, he was given the opportunity to become himself... Only when we have accepted ourselves with all our "good" and "bad" parts can we learn how to accept others with all their strengths and weaknesses" (179).
-Wow, that passage hit practically every single point in my thesis, I am going to use this somehow as my evidence.