I sat down this morning on the Front Porch and began my ritual. I took the first sip of my coffee and soaked in the sun. I let my mind wander. I was thinking about my children and my daughter came to my mind.
Being the parent of a 15 year old is an adventure, an experience. I have to say as parents we love our children and sure they frustrate us from time to time, because they don’t always do what we expect.
What we expect, truly expect is to hand down the lessons of our greatest successes and let them learn from our unfortunate failures. Yesterday I had an epiphiny . My daughter gets it, just not always in the manner that I expect.
Do you remember being a teen thinking how to fit in, be accepted and please your parents, your teachers and anyone who would judge you. I surely do. What happens and probably for most still this day is a feeling of emptiness and angst for selling your soul to find acceptance. i don’t do that anymore, the people whoo like me do so because I fulfill my part of the equation, those who don’t, never will for whatever reason.they ratinalize. That is their issue, not mine.
The one thing about being a parent is … we are the soul keepers or at least I feel I am. I am here to love, protect and prepare my children for their adulthood ; hopefully with less dysfunctionality than I have. I have simple rules don’t experience things before you are emotionally ready (sex,drugs,responsibilities for another etc). Do well in school, it is not for me, I had my turn. Be a kind person to those who are deserving . Forget the rest, don’t let people rule your soul.
So the direct point of my lovely daughter being a vision of excellence and strength. My daughter has shared my greatest successes, but unfortunately she has been affected by my biggest transgressions (mistakes of judgement). She faced everything with the strength and coutrage of someone with many more years of experience. Still to this day people (her peers) will ask about the sins of the father – (crummy influence of their parents) like it is a fair comparison of the whole being of the child. Taylor Glassberg is a pillar of strength, even when she fakes it till she makes it.
I didn’t truly appreciate the fact that she has learned lessons from my mistakes or that she would waxed poetic on experiences we shared ,until yesterday. I don’t want to get into specifics but my daughter surprises me and I truly love her and would sacrifice my world for what she needs. Not what she wants, remember that for the things she needs, to become a complete person who will be stable, happy and fulfilled.
So for thos parents who put YouTube videos out there chastizing their kids and love the attention; we should celebrate the brighter side of the struggle to produce well rounded, healthy minded successors to our domain.
My princess, I am here with you.
