Even the worst of parents deserve affirmation and commendation. We all make mistakes; we do not receive an owner's manual when our children are born.
There are no recommendations for
proper care or a trouble shooting guide if something goes wrong. We often read
a plethora of books on how to appropriately care and nurture, but each child is
an exception because of their differing personality, needs and expectations.
As parents, we have deeply
ingrained wounds from our childhood, made by our parents, neighbors, extended
family members, teachers, ministers and even strangers who are also wounded
souls. Yet, we "soldier on" and do our best as adults.
Most parents sit on the side of
the bathtub while our child empties his/her stomach in the toilet, we apply
cool cloths for fevers, we rock them or read them a story before they fall
asleep, and we buy every over the counter remedy available in order to treat our
child's illnesses.
If these are not effective, we
rush our beloved child to the doctor. Their care is our priority, regardless of
the expense or resources that their healing requires. We love them more than we
love our self, and we sacrifice our needs and desires to help them feel
cherished and fulfilled.
We take an interest in their
school work; attend extra-curricular sport games, art shows, plays and
recitals; go to all of their parent-teacher meetings, enroll them in Scout
troops and encourage them in all of their activities and interests.
Parents continue to support us to
the best of their ability, even when we insist on making our own mistakes
instead of heeding their advice. We are never too old to run to our parents to
chat, seek their counsel or cherish their company.
Prayer:
Father God, You are the best
example to us of a loving, nurturing parent. You bear with our excuses, accept
our apologies, help us in our deficiencies and heal us of our infirmities. You
care about us more than anyone else in our life, even though they do their best.
Help us to be more accepting of
our parents' shortcomings and to take an interest in their woundedness. Show us
how to nurture them in ways that they missed during their childhood. Help us to
shower them with the love that they never received; and Father God, allow us to
put a smile on their face more often than we break their heart.
Thought for the Day:
Take care of your mom and dad by
showing love and concern for them, being interested in their thoughts, prayers
and emotions and helping them in their time of need; after all, they are the
only parents you will ever have.
