This is my family: my son on the left, his new baby in the middle (my first grandchild, born at the end of January), and my daughter (baby's auntie). My two children, pictured above, have fueled my energy since they were born.Without them, I think my purpose in life might have gotten lost. With them, I have a clear purpose--If nothing else, I am modeling behavior that makes a difference to them. I never lose sight of the fact that they are watching. Even as adults, they continue to watch and learn from me. My son now gets to experience this miraculous motivation with his baby girl. Talk about a fresh start!
Do you remember the birth of your children? From that moment on, every new action offered a fresh start, a new something. Whether it was that first homecoming, the first time you noticed the color of your baby's eyes, the first tooth. Each of these milestones meant a new beginning, a new discovery, the promise of more to come.
My children and I have experienced so much together--not all of it involved happy times. Since I've been married three times but am no longer (divorced twice, widowed once), they've lost two dads in their lifetime and struggle with how to continue a relationship with the third. The three of us--my two kids and I--have stuck together through it all. We know who will be there when it really matters. We can bank on that. Every time one of us experiences our own fresh starts in life, difficult or not, we know who to call and share the news. We know who will be there on the other end of the line and what we can expect to receive--even if it'll be painful to hear.
That unconditional love can fuel you, move you forward, keep you focused.
It does me. What about you?
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4 comments:
Talk about a fresh start after the birth of your kids -- it was only after my first was born that I rediscovered my love of writing and decided to do something with it. Today, I can -- and do -- complain about how my boys keep me from my writing, but the truth is that without them, I probably wouldn't be writing at all.
I think it's true, what you wrote about maybe not writing at all, if it weren't for your children.
I had my kids early--in high school. But I stayed in school because of them. Went to college because of them. And now, everything I continue to do is because I want to leave a better legacy for them than what I had. They really are my main motivating force, and most of the time, it's not something I have to think about. I just know.
Jackie
What a teeny little sweetie :) I know what you mean. And I believe that children can give you a reason to move forward & succeed. I had my first young, too, Jackie--not high school, but not long afterward. It was them that gave me the motivation to go back to college, try harder, get serious about writing and in general be a better person. I never considered myself ambitious or until I had children. Now I know there is no limit to what I can accomplish--not just in theory but in practice.
Teenie. My son says she's not teeny any longer, Meagan. I must get over there to see her and him again. I don't like the distance thing. It's just not the same.
Definitely no limit to what you can do. None at all--only what you put on yourself. Thankfully, children can--and do--fuel the passion. I have a friend in mind here in Phoenix who I envision even as I write this.
Thanks for visiting.
Jackie
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