RECOGNIZING THE GIFT

Having a healthy, normal child is nothing to take for granted.  In fact, the ability to conceive and have a child in the first place is a miracle.  Seeing so many who are unable to have children of their own and the tremendous pain involved does not and should not make the process of having and raising children any easier.  Those who are blessed with the gift of children can and often do find themselves wondering at times if these little miracles are truly a gift. Child rearing takes a tremendous amount of time and energy, not to mention a significant strain on financial resources; but it is all worth it.  As the gatekeepers and guardians of these precious diamonds it may only take a minor modification of one’s psyche to focus and recognize the valuable gift they have.

When a couple is blessed to find out that they are having a child they begin to go through a mental and physical checklist of what needs to be done and what changes will be made to allow for a smooth arrival.  Unfortunately, many parents fail to acknowledge that the most important change that needs to be made is within themselves. A couple who were about to have their first child once came to a wise man and asked him what it is they should be doing to prepare for the imminent arrival of the child; they were told they were a year too late.  Parenting a child is unlike anything anyone has ever experienced before. There are no instruction manuals, no tests to study for, no get rich quick schemes, nothing. Mindful parenting and passion for the well being of the child are certainly first steps to success. Showing and feeling appreciation for the opportunity to help grow and guide a child in this world adds to those initial steps.   When we feel passionate about something, the task feels easier, the load feels lighter and the results feel more meaningful. Let us go down the journey of parenting with passion to see how, by way of countless examples and interactions, we can polish our diamonds and make them shine their brightest.