A letter to my kids
You get a lot of advice from me on a fairly regular basis – it’s my personality style to be helpful and also, I’m your mom. Moms advise.
I suppose some of it goes in one ear and out the other, some of it you’ve heard many times and might have memorized, and some of it might have seemed relevant once but has been forgotten.
This morning, as the sun rises over the Indian Ocean, I feel inspired to put some of this advice down so you can reflect on it in your own time.
I love you fully, madly, deeply. I want nothing more than for you to live your lives to the absolute fullest degree possible.
Be yourself. Discover what makes you feel yummy-warmy and steer your life toward whatever – and whoever – makes you feel that way. The world has plenty of other people already, so don’t try to be like them, unless what they’re doing makes you feel yummy-warmy – then go for it, in your own way.
Whether times are great or they’re tough, remember this: it’s only temporary. When you’re happy, be grateful. Savor the moment in all its richness and say a word of thanks. When you’re going through hard times, remember that this too shall pass. Be as kind to yourself as possible and, for an appropriate length of time, let yourself feel bad, mad or sad. Trying to suppress negative emotions is like trying to hold an inflated beach ball under water – it takes a lot of energy and the damn thing is going to pop up eventually. Acknowledge that being human means risking disappointment, loss and frustration.
One of the best ways I’ve ever found for feeling better is to do something nice for someone else; try this some time.
Take good care of yourself. If you’re lucky, you’ll get old, and when you do you’re going to want all your teeth, good bones, healthy lungs, clear arteries, etc., etc. Science might come up with some wonderful cures before then, but why take chances?
Who knows what you’ll do when you get older? I’ve heard and believe that many of the jobs that will be relevant in ten to twenty years don’t even exist today. Some valuable skills you can acquire along the way that will help you no matter what you do include:
> knowing what’s right for you and what’s not
> being able to advocate for yourself assertively in any situation, with anyone
> the ability to listen in a way that encourages other people to think freely and creatively
> perseverance and resilience
If you want help with any of these skills, let me know. They don’t seem to be teaching them at school.
Find one or several things or people that fill your bucket so that when life or work drains you, you’re able to replenish yourself.
Well, that’s it for this morning. I have a feeling this is not the last you’ll hear from me on the subject.
Love,
Mom
Comments
blog comments powered by Disqus