Sunday, July 28, 2013

[[ 47 ]] Respect / What You Taught

Respect your Parents And What They Taught You


Respecting your parents is about accepting who they are as people
and all the things that they have experienced. 
These people who chose to raise you, and stuck by that choice even when times were hard.
They chose to live the life they did, with the people and partners they did
because they were doing the best they could to live right and show you how to do the same. They worked hard and sacrificed for you and one another, not because you were owed it - but because that was what they chose to give.  

Respecting them is about understanding that they don't always have to see things your way, to still love you. And that sometimes their love will be firm, even angry --but it's only because they don't want to see you hurt.

Parents don't have all the answers, but that doesn't mean that their wisdom should be avoided.
Doesn't mean that they aren't right about some things. It shows that they care, even when they aren't right. They are trying to teach you the lessons of their experience.
Be patient and listen, please don't shut them out. A heart hears in words and efforts.

For parents see you as the hope for so many of their dreams and beliefs.
Please don't be mad if they don't understand your new ways or choices, be patient.
Because a parent may not ultimately be the person in life who loves you best
(They aren't your mate) 
But they are still the person who loved you first
And they will love you long after some mates have failed and fled. 

Parents have the right to love you
They paid for it in years, effort and tears and joy.
Respect this


--------------------------

Like any wisdom, I had to grow into this understanding.
Some of that came at the price of conflict.
Some of that came at the price of arrogance.
It took a while for me to evolve: youth can last a long time.

So can stubbornness.

What you taught me as a boy was that people should be free to love who they want.
What you taught me when I was a man was - how all the sorrows in the world are due to people choosing anger and fear over understanding.
All my life you taught me that I should be prepared to stand up for myself - as issues of prejudice and hate would play a key role in my adult life.

You were right, then.
And what you teach now... is still being determined.

I'm still your son.
I still respect your right to love me
Only ... these days, I'm forced to do so by reminding you
of what you taught me.

-C.D.

Click Here:  The Open Hand

Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.
Leonardo da Vinci
 


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