WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?
A survey was done some years back asking parents if they could go back to the beginning of their marriages, would they have children again? Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly), a majority said they would not! As the parents of four grown children from ages 26 to 33, my wife and I can certainly understand this attitude. We remember that, when they were still in the home, the majority of our aggravation came from the trials and tribulations of raising them.
The other day at church, we were asked to think about for what we were most grateful. My mind was overwhelmed with an avalanche of possibilities - my health, my material possessions, living in this magnificent country, my friendships – many things at once. Of course, my wife, children, and grandchildren soon dominated my thoughts and being in that frame of mind, I was prompted to peruse the box of family photos when I got home.
Looking at the pictures, I was immediately struck with how much time had passed so quickly. I can remember watching my 33-year-old draw her first breath of life - the smell of the delivery room, the sounds of the doctors and nurses, the anticipation of seeing my child for the first time. The excitement of being a new father seemed just like yesterday.
I made a point not to just look at the pictures as I had done so often in the past, but to relive each event. Christmas, the lake, different vacations, the beach, sporting events, skiing, the water park, the zoo, birthdays, Easter egg hunts, or just being goofy around the house - each photograph brought something different. I was struck by how precious the memories of my children are and how easy it is to forget.
The next time you are at the end of your rope with your children and you are ready to wish you had never had them, get out the pictures and ask yourself this question: “How important are my children to me?” If you answered (and I think most of you will), “The most important thing in the world,” then ask, “Am I acting like it?”
A survey was done some years back asking parents if they could go back to the beginning of their marriages, would they have children again? Surprisingly (or maybe not so surprisingly), a majority said they would not! As the parents of four grown children from ages 26 to 33, my wife and I can certainly understand this attitude. We remember that, when they were still in the home, the majority of our aggravation came from the trials and tribulations of raising them.
The other day at church, we were asked to think about for what we were most grateful. My mind was overwhelmed with an avalanche of possibilities - my health, my material possessions, living in this magnificent country, my friendships – many things at once. Of course, my wife, children, and grandchildren soon dominated my thoughts and being in that frame of mind, I was prompted to peruse the box of family photos when I got home.
Looking at the pictures, I was immediately struck with how much time had passed so quickly. I can remember watching my 33-year-old draw her first breath of life - the smell of the delivery room, the sounds of the doctors and nurses, the anticipation of seeing my child for the first time. The excitement of being a new father seemed just like yesterday.
I made a point not to just look at the pictures as I had done so often in the past, but to relive each event. Christmas, the lake, different vacations, the beach, sporting events, skiing, the water park, the zoo, birthdays, Easter egg hunts, or just being goofy around the house - each photograph brought something different. I was struck by how precious the memories of my children are and how easy it is to forget.
The next time you are at the end of your rope with your children and you are ready to wish you had never had them, get out the pictures and ask yourself this question: “How important are my children to me?” If you answered (and I think most of you will), “The most important thing in the world,” then ask, “Am I acting like it?”
