Spiritual resource to share: our spiritual inheritance
Last Christmas, I heard the Hallelujah Chorus of Handel's Messiah being played over the radio. My older son crossed the room and I found myself tearing up when he asked "What's wrong?"
I remember being in a choir while in High School and singing this with hundreds of others in choir and orchestra. It was such a thrill. We were so jazzed and inspired, we were singing at the tops of our lungs. I lost interest in whether or not the notes were right on. This loud noise that came from all of us, at once, sounding relatively in tune was an amazing experience!
Part of my role as a parent is to make opportunities for my kids to experience life - its joys and thrills and then to be there when things seem to fall apart. How many times have I wanted to "give" an experience to my kids that I have had. At that moment, hearing Handel's Messiah, I realized that I can't give them all of what is wonderful and mysterious. They need to find and take that on themselves.
It was a bittersweet moment. All I could say to my son is that life is an incredible trip. Go far, drink deeply. My dad once said that I should go out, explore the world. I could always come back, lick my wounds, but then go out again. Wise words from an old adventurer himself.
What we give our kids - aside from the basic food and shelter, millions of words of advice and counsel and our example - is to share what we have inherited from our brilliant, spinning world and to give them permission to explore it at their own time and in their own way.
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2 comments:
ah, Kim, I've felt that exact same way! especially about the cultural reference points that meant a lot to me that I really want to share, the music, the movies, the books. and they've tried to share with me, as well. but even as they're not as fanatical about the Lord of the Rings as I am, I'm not all that into death metal.
maybe it's about encouraging and engendering the ability to find those meaningful expressions for ourselves. like, I live the example that I have found such things that move me, and they will find their own, too. we won't find the same things, but we'll have the same experience.
and, at least for us, there's always Star Trek to bind us together.
o that's too funny.........for me and my kids it's dance, Queen and Simon and Garfunkel that keeps us ocnnected. O yes, and that we love each other.
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