I don’t know about you, but in my family, we learned to get along. Amidst the eight of us, plus the parents, there were a lot of personalities and opinions swimming around. When I lived with my parents, I recognized the delicate art of give and take and the mutual appreciation and respect, opinions notwithstanding. We had to share the same space and with that fact of life comes responsibility, at minimum a desire to survive and be happy.
But I am not here to talk about survival. I am here to tell you how to thrive.
We live in this country, and want it or not, like it or not, that’s a fact. Face it, this country is your family, filled with estranged uncles and crazy cousins. We need to learn to get along to survive… but to thrive, we need to learn to love.
Love will save the day.
Which day? Every day. Election Day. New Year’s Day. The day we have to face other countries but face them not with opposition but with an example. Enough idle talk. Let’s walk the talk.
We say we are so great. The greatest country in the world. With that position comes great responsibility.
If we want to be the oldest brother, it is our duty and pleasure to model the right behaviors and the right desires. That comes either through experience, collective wisdom or both.
Being the oldest child in my family, I was measured by a bigger stick but I also had some privileges as well. The greatest privilege I’ve ever had was the ability to change or affect the course of my siblings’ lives. The reason being? They look up to me… but I’ve earned that privilege.
This is not the time to grab the others by force but to earn their respect and admiration through consistent application of wise moves such as showing compassion, consideration, dedication, appreciation and love.
This country needs love.
We need love.
Our children need love.
Not division and derision.
Love. Plain and simple.
So I dare you to go out and show a little kindness. Sure, they may have a few different opinions, but be patient. In the end, your patience may pay off and you will gain that respect and be able to speak into their lives.
What’s the point of beating the air with your words that just fall to the ground or dissolve because they had no meaning to the other person… because you tried to take their attention and belief by force? The quickest way to storm the castle? Through love. People will invite you.
We can do this. The Pilgrims stood for something at one point. They believed in a better future.
So do I.
So do we.
So I will be hopeful today and tomorrow because I believe in the inner goodness of each one of you. I believe we are capable to take the higher ground. It is time. Enough of the muck, hate and stone throwing. We are better than this. Don’t participate in becoming what you hate the most: someone else. Not you.
So I will love today. I will love tomorrow. I will love myself through it all and I will love you all through it… because I know that precious truth…
Love is the answer.
Love will save the day.
Month: October 2016
Our Future Has Hope
Being a parent is the most incredible responsibility on the planet. We get to directly and powerfully influence the world the moment we get that baby in our arms… Scratch that, the moment we conceive! Our children will be the ones to make a dent in the future once we are gone, and we get to shape them and teach them how to make that dent, or no dent at all.
My child, I’ve always loved you. Before I was born, it was set in the stars that you would be my baby. Time is irrelevant anyway, so I can say that. Time is there so we can understand the shape of life and how to move forwards, otherwise, it would be like putty in our hands. But I digress.
Not enough is done to celebrate that intricate and delightful and very fragile relationship between the parent and the child. We’ve taken this interdependence for granted, a fact of life that will always be there and always had been. Because it has been wiped down to a fact, this amazing special-ness being taken away, we as parents have forgotten how to love and raise our children intentionally.
We live alongside them, hugging them and taking care of them, but our hearts are busy with other things: survival, jobs, household cares, etc.
I say it’s time for a revolution of sorts.
Parents!!! Turn your hearts towards your children! Nothing will make your life so worth living as your kids. In no way or shape or fashion will your job affect the world the way you can through your kids! They are your legacy! What will you leave behind? A fantastic role or title? Who cares? A beautiful home or garden that no one will walk through in 100 years? You have the opportunity to affect the infinity of time by raising your children to be influencers of change so that they could raise their children to take the future and shape it and make it ready for great things to come that will only propel their future offspring to heights unknown.
Do you know what the true problem in society is? Economy? The President? Your next door neighbor?
NO!
WE are! We lost touch with what is truly important. Family. Once we restore that unit to its new glory, we will be healthy again. Our society will be healthy again. Our country will be great again.
My child, my heart is turned towards you and I will do everything in my power, although I may be imperfect, to love you-perfectly! You are my future. Through you, I will live on. Through you, our future has hope.
Maternal Movement 