When our children were small, we opted not to have t.v. reception. It was always interesting to me to see the difference in our kids when we were staying for a short time anyplace there was a lot of t.v. watching. All of a sudden, they were preoccupied with what they now knew they needed! The latest game or toy or movie. Funny, that had they not watched those commercials, they never would have felt deprived at all!
Being submersed in affluence is mind altering.
And since this is all many of us have known, we don’t register the many ways our collective thinking is distorted!
Except we get a glimpse of that distortion, when we see children needing their parents, when the parents are otherwise occupied– sure that they must provide, what turns out to be luxuries for their children, even if the expense to provide them is being separated from their children day in and week out.
Is part of the problem that we’re so used to possessing things that we’ve turned children into objects?
Thinking that we want them so that we can possess them, and on our sometimes misguided terms?
Truth is, our children aren’t our possessions. And they don’t need more possessions.
They generally don’t even need more lessons or opportunities.
Parents and children actually need more daily, committed, loving and trustworthy connections. {The ten o’clock news confirms this observation.}
I wonder how long it is going to take our culture to stop looking for the next government-funded program to rescue our nation’s children; to recognize that the only real rescue is to provide a home, with parents and siblings who want to spend the time making the connections that all human beings need?
And, while we’re doing our best to give our children what they really need, adults have the opportunity to be nurtured and taught as well. What parent hasn’t learned great life lessons from their toddler who forgives instantly or simply from the growth {motivated by love} they require to continue to lead?
People need food and shelter, chances for learning and developing gifts are great too. Beyond that, people need to be cared for by people. And the best people to give what the next generation needs, are those who have sacrificed to bring them here and love them enough to sacrifice whatever else isn’t necessary, for their good.
Maybe if we regularly turn off the bombardment of social and advertising media, we’d be able to clear our thoughts, take a deep breath and just be. Just be together.
I hope you are well and living the real dream. The dream of family.
Love,
“The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and happiness at home. We do so boldly with humility and gratitude for the opportunity.”