"The Tao is continually giving birth
to your children
and to you.
You are not their source.
The Tao is the Great Mother
and the Source of all that is.
Her resources are inexhaustible.
If you empty yourself
of your own expectations,
you will see that your children
will never be
outside Her love.
Your parental responsibilities seem overwhelming
and beyond all reasonable expectation.
You must keep them in school, off drugs and out of
trouble.
You must get them into college, through college
and home on time.
You will never have a moment's peace
for no matter how well you and they have done
until now,
something could always go wrong.
Consider your current concerns.
If God has spaciousness enough
to encompass any difficulty they may have,
can you not relax your grip a bit?"
Someone close to me has said several times that there's no way to do parenting well. I both agree and disagree, in the sense that what works for one kid may not work universally. But what gives me the most hope for doing "a good job" with my daughter is that parenting is not a one way street; it's about building a relationship. I will never stop trying to do that. I can only hope that my daughter will "honor her mother" by recognizing and answering my efforts. I'm willing to stay open and vulnerable. It's the hardest part, but also the most worth it.
to your children
and to you.
You are not their source.
The Tao is the Great Mother
and the Source of all that is.
Her resources are inexhaustible.
If you empty yourself
of your own expectations,
you will see that your children
will never be
outside Her love.
Your parental responsibilities seem overwhelming
and beyond all reasonable expectation.
You must keep them in school, off drugs and out of
trouble.
You must get them into college, through college
and home on time.
You will never have a moment's peace
for no matter how well you and they have done
until now,
something could always go wrong.
Consider your current concerns.
If God has spaciousness enough
to encompass any difficulty they may have,
can you not relax your grip a bit?"
Someone close to me has said several times that there's no way to do parenting well. I both agree and disagree, in the sense that what works for one kid may not work universally. But what gives me the most hope for doing "a good job" with my daughter is that parenting is not a one way street; it's about building a relationship. I will never stop trying to do that. I can only hope that my daughter will "honor her mother" by recognizing and answering my efforts. I'm willing to stay open and vulnerable. It's the hardest part, but also the most worth it.
No comments:
Post a Comment