honoring our children's journeys

Spiritual resource to share: respect

In one of my favorite families, the parents have a particularly loving and respectful relationship with their children - a son and a daughter. The parents have characterized their relationships as seeing four intertwined journeys, and many times would express gratitude to their kids for having stopped off to spend some time with them on their journeys.

The son and daughter are now grown. But this lesson of love and honoring our children's journeys so impressed me, that it simply blossomed when I had my own sons. It has framed my whole approach to parenting: To be able to see -- right off the start -- that our kids are born with a mission, a journey of their own, and that we have the privilege of being with them for a time of development and discovery.

I remember praying with a Christian Science practitioner when I was first pregnant. We looked at the definition of children in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy described as "The spiritual thoughts and representatives of Life, Truth, and Love." The practitioner then went on to tell me, "Picture God as whispering to you, 'I have a wonderful idea and you have the privilege of caring for this precious idea for your whole life.'" This understanding of God's most intimate relationship to my sons has not distanced me from them, but has given me a clarity as to what my role is in raising them and what their role is in claiming their mission.

I have really held close that my boys are complete, entire, and have God as their Father Mother. My role is to care for them, keep them safe, expose them to opportunities for growth and inspiration and to model, in some way, the great love, tender care and constant provision that their Father Mother God continuously gives them. It's an amazing journey!

How has respect for other people's journeys enhanced your life?



To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.

(Photo taken by my son, Gabe)