It Is What It Is

I am wondering when I will stop chuckling...We spent Saturday with six teen age young men. Three of them, although they have had real problems in the past and are still trying to work past them, the problems come much slower then in the past.One of them did not begin as our case and is as far as our interactions to him he seems to be a pretty good guy. The last two, well suffice it to say, we were having a long difficult conversation with them that day about threatening us and who we would call if they did it again. On Saturday we went with this group of young men to pick up computers at "Computers for Kids." On the way home with one of the young men (one who among them is doing well but has been our very most difficult case in the past!) he brought up the behavior of the others and how he felt like they should do it differently, make better decisions. Robert started talking about his observations and what he would like to see change. How he would like to see them change. Robert and this young man were having a very good and constructive conversation. After a few minutes when our young man realized that until the other boys understood what he had learned and was trying to practice there was really nothing else any of us could do...he smiled...looked at Robert and said "Awww Robert. It is what it is!"I just started to laugh for you see this is my latest phrase. I have been trying to be more accepting of situations. Using less energy trying to change thoughts ideas and attitudes of others that I have no control over, instead working inside of the parameters that I have. Robert had obviously been talking to our young man about this and helping him work on his own problems and behaviors not focus on others. He was sitting here in the back of the van putting it into practice. We went to McDonald's that day as a reward. I still am chuckling!