If I Had

Something to think about

God Bless.

Today's Quotation:

If I had my child to raise over again,

I'd finger paint more, and point the finger less.

I'd do less correcting, and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less, and know to care more.

I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.

I'd run through more fields, and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging, and less tugging.

I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.

I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd teach less about the love of power,

And more about the power of love.

It matters not whether my child is big or small,

From this day forth, I'll cherish it all.

Diana Loomans

Today's Meditation:

I have found it a very helpful practice to take some time to reflect and evaluate upon my parenting habits and methods from time to time. It is quite easy to get caught up in the duties and tasks of life and put parenting on the back burner, or to only give limited resources to my children. And by reflecting upon the joys available to me--the love, the memories, the laughter, the smiles, the kisses and hugs, the amazement and wonder, and so much more--I am able to increase my awareness of the beauty of children in each passing moment.

One of the things I tend to forget is that my happiness in life is tied to my experience of life. So if I let myself get stressed out, or anxious, or depressed, and miss out on experiencing the joys of parenting, then I also miss out on a plethora of happiness that is uniquely available to me during this chapter of my life. And this happiness is available for us all to experience--grandparents, foster parents, daycare workers, teachers, nannies, babysitters, aunts and uncles--for there is no chapter in our lives in which we are not able to "cherish it all" in our relationships with children.

Our children need us in their lives... and we need them just the same. Connect with them. Spend time with them. Care about them. Experience them. Support them with love and affirmation, hugs and kisses. Get the most out of parenting... you only get to raise your children once.

Today's Challenge: Give an hour of your day to a child.

Questions to consider:

Why is it difficult for us to remain focused on the importance of experiencing our relationships with our children?

How much effort do you put into parenting and/or positively affecting the lives of children?

What are some ways in which you can strengthen the lives of children with affirmation and love?

For further thought:

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Khalil Gibran, The Prophet

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Inspire Me Books (Amazon)

Inspire Me: Currents...

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https://amazon.com/author/clstarling

Series of daily inspirations revisited and revised for publication. Thank you for all the interest and support through the years.

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