Parents are often so busy with the physical rearing of children that they
miss the glory of parenthood, just as the grandeur of trees is lost
when raking leaves.
miss the glory of parenthood, just as the grandeur of trees is lost
when raking leaves.
Marcelene Cox
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Today's Meditation:
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Today's Meditation:
I know many, many parents who fall into this trap. Somehow,
they seem to completely miss the fun and joy and glory of being parents, of
having these new lives to care for, to watch as they grow, to learn with and
from. Parents tend to take the children for granted, or view them as
responsibilities rather than gifts, or try to control them too much and get
angry and frustrated when their efforts at control don't always work.
How many people do you know who would talk about "the glory of parenthood"? How many celebrate their opportunities to be parents each day? And how many parents focus more on the bills than on the child's learning how to speak? How many focus more on the one time the child disobeyed than on the ten times the child did just what he or she was asked to do?
And if you're not a parent, how many other situations are you in, in which you've stopped recognizing your privileges and honors? I'm a teacher, and I need to remind myself constantly that it's a great privilege to be able to spend time with so many young people. The best waitress I ever knew looked at her job as an opportunity to serve people and to get to know them, too. There's a certain glory to having the privilege of serving other people, but it's something that we do have to remind ourselves about.
Let's not get so busy with the minutiae of our jobs that we forget the glory of serving others. Let's not get so busy with the bills and the dinners and washing the clothes that we forget just how amazing it is to be able to be a parent. If we can keep this in mind, both our parenthood and our children's childhoods will be improved greatly, and wonderful memories will be created every single day.
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
What are some of the glorious elements of parenthood? What makes them glorious?
How might you stay aware of the more wonderful parts of parenthood, or of the work that you do or other relationships that you have?
What can we do to shift our focus when we get too busy?
* * * * *
For further thought:
How many people do you know who would talk about "the glory of parenthood"? How many celebrate their opportunities to be parents each day? And how many parents focus more on the bills than on the child's learning how to speak? How many focus more on the one time the child disobeyed than on the ten times the child did just what he or she was asked to do?
And if you're not a parent, how many other situations are you in, in which you've stopped recognizing your privileges and honors? I'm a teacher, and I need to remind myself constantly that it's a great privilege to be able to spend time with so many young people. The best waitress I ever knew looked at her job as an opportunity to serve people and to get to know them, too. There's a certain glory to having the privilege of serving other people, but it's something that we do have to remind ourselves about.
Let's not get so busy with the minutiae of our jobs that we forget the glory of serving others. Let's not get so busy with the bills and the dinners and washing the clothes that we forget just how amazing it is to be able to be a parent. If we can keep this in mind, both our parenthood and our children's childhoods will be improved greatly, and wonderful memories will be created every single day.
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
What are some of the glorious elements of parenthood? What makes them glorious?
How might you stay aware of the more wonderful parts of parenthood, or of the work that you do or other relationships that you have?
What can we do to shift our focus when we get too busy?
* * * * *
For further thought:
Whenever I held my newborn baby in my arms, I used to think
that what I said and did to him could have an influence not
only on him but on all whom he met, not only for a day or
a month or a year, but for all eternity--a very challenging
and exciting thought for a mother.
that what I said and did to him could have an influence not
only on him but on all whom he met, not only for a day or
a month or a year, but for all eternity--a very challenging
and exciting thought for a mother.
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