Lessons from our Children
My local newspaper took out a full page ad showcasing 26 notes, hand written by children, sharing why they were thankful.
24 of the 26 notes had a common thread.
A central theme surrounding their gratitude.
As I read each note individually and completely and I kept wondering, "How have I lost this same feeling of appreciation for something so simple? Something I provide every day without effort."
I kept reading.
No thanks for money.
No thanks for fancy trips.
No thanks for the name brand clothes.
No thanks for the big house and fancy cars
No thanks for their video games or VR headsets.
𝑵𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 𝒐𝒓 𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑺𝑬𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑺.
Within the first sentence 24 of the 26 handwritten notes, were the words "𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘." Family. After Family? Puppies. This simple observation from the children's notes begs a reflective question: How does such a fundamental truth slip under our radar?
In our pursuit of material success and the chaos of daily life, how have we missed recognizing the impact and importance of the family structure in the lives of our children?
It's a wake-up call, reminding us to reassess our priorities to align with the joy that family brings. Its such a timeless truth that the most meaningful gifts are those that cannot be bought.
We all aspire to our potential. An advancing life pulls us this way. BUT, as we strive to reach our potential and get pulled by the demands of an advancing life, it's crucial to reflect on the value we provide to our children, which often flows subtly under the surface of our efforts.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐢𝐬 – 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – which, according to our children, our most valuable gift we can give them.
JB
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