Saturday, November 14, 2009

How Are Your Kids Creating Your Legend?

You are in adversity: You've lost your job or your business. . .or worse. You're living on the floor of your soul right now, and it's furnished with despair. You're afraid and depressed. Just getting out of bed is an ordeal; never mind putting on your peppy face to go get what's next for you. And let's not even talk about your flailing marriage to a spouse who's afraid, angry, resentful, punishing. . .all out of understanding.

You have been so busy with your demons that you've forgotten about the little eyes that are forever focused on you, pencils poised, always ready to work on your legend and its lessons. Twenty years from now your children will be living what you're teaching them today about how we deal when savage luck strikes us. They will recount the grandparental legend - yours - the anecdotes about you that will live past your time on the earth.

You may strike grand postures and pontificate, but your kids will work off of the behaviors they daily see in you, not those words. What material are you giving them? What story are you shaping for them to tell THEIR children?

"When hard times hit our family, Grandpa(ma). . .

". . .got up early every day to go for a long walk and pray for guidance,
then headed out the door with a determined step and a smile."

". . .had a dream but only ever talked about it. What's the use of dreaming?"

". . .Never stop trying, child. That's what your granddad always did. He
never gave up."

". . .stayed in the basement and never came out. It's when our family started to fall apart. She was never the same; neither were we."

". . .took any job he could get. It was a terrible year, but we made it. That's when I learned how much he loved us."

Isn't that how you learned the most about character. . .the way your parents lived THEIR lives? What story legacy do you want to leave about this time of struggle? What words do you hope the budding authors are choosing? Determination, courage, persistence, hope. How are you putting them into action today?

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