In the life of a child
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.
- Forest E. Witcraft
Many would say that there is no nobler endeavor in life than being a parent. Whether it is or isn’t is really the opinion of the reader, but the significance of that decision is much more far reaching and more rewarding than any of us can truly imagine.
At birth, a child is 100% reliant on the parents for the basic essentials of life, the bottom rung of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: food, shelter, etc. Days into this new world and they cannot survive on their own. It is truly a miracle to have the ability to create another life, but it is the highest responsibility to sustain it.
As days turn to weeks and to months, babies recognize the sounds of their parent’s voices, their smell, and even their presence. They smile, interact, and try to communicate more every day. Now they need a medium for that communication, and we teach them language.
A year passes and they are learning to walk. They hold themselves up on the coffee table or the couch. They see us walking and want to do the same. They trust as we help them by holding their hands. The smile gleefully as we help them take steps to Daddy or Mommy. They are filled with the joy of the worlds as they take their first solo steps and walk on their own.
Another year passes and they are talking to us. There are times in which we can understand the words they are using. They have advanced their language skills from hand gestures to words and actions. They call us by name and cry for our attention when they are hurt. They respond when we talk to them. They run. A lot. They fall. A lot. They learn more and more everyday, and we are teaching them, even when we least expect it.
“Your reputation is what you do when people can see what you’re doing; Your Character is what you do when no one can see you”
It is not in what we tell them that they learn, but in who we are. How do we react to situations? Do we yell? Are we calm? Do we smile? How do we treat other people? How do we treat animals? They do not always get the frame of reference, but they always pick up on the action. And they clearly pick up our words. Listen, and they will say it all back to you.
And we have now passed 2 years of their life, a point in which child psychologists believe that they have formed the vast majority of their personalities for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. In the blink of an eye it has passed. What have they come away with? Many people seem to think that the teaching doesn’t start until the conscious learning and questioning starts. On the other hand, they have formed so many of their key assumptions about people, learning, their environment, and how they will act that the conscious learning is a distant second compared to the impact of the first 2 years.
Now years pass: grade school, high school, college… They learn and grow and become their own person. They become our legacy – good, bad, or otherwise. In turn, their children and their children’s children will continue to be legacies of the previous generation. For it is not what we take with us and not what we do for ourselves that truly matters, but it is what we leave behind.
Yes, we can build. Yes we can improve. Yes we can change. All of that will serve to improve who we are, and that improvement is valiant and beyond measure. However, if that is the only measure we accomplish, then it ends when we die. However, if we pass that along to a child who grows into an adult who continues in some manner the effort of passing it along, then we have created something much bigger than ourselves. We have created something that will live on long after we die. We have created our legacy that is far beyond the constraint of words in its description.
There is greatness to be accomplished within all of us. There are far-reaching impacts that will come of our works. And these works are as innocent and simple as a baby.
Tags: child, children, law of attraction, legacy, parent
Hello world!
Welcome to our new Trust The Dream Blog! As with most things, it will be evolving over time. We have learned that if you wait until everything is just right, you will never move forward with anything. So, we are diving in and will learn and improve as we go. This blog will be our forum. A place for Joe and I to share whatever is coming up for us in the moment. Topics could include funny kid stories, implementing the Law of Attraction, working from home, taking care of one’s parents, positive parenting, DIY projects, great recipes, gear-head stuff, dreams, goals, successes and failures, our best and worst moments, lessons learned from others, lessons learned the hard way…you name it…it will be fair game. We will be candid and open and our hope is that something we share will connect with someone and make a difference in their lives….bring a smile, hope, a new idea, a sense that others go through the same stuff…whatever. We hope to connect with many people from all walks of life and look forward to your comments, suggestions, criticisms, and stories you would like to share back. Again…welcome everyone!  Â
Off we go!
Jamie