I came across this in someone's blog the other day:
"The beauty of a big family is that if a mother regrets something she did when she was young and imprudent, she might just have a chance at a redo with a younger child. The corollary is that I don't have the luxury of doing what some of my friends are doing as they settle into an empty nest. I can't look at the regrets, confess the mistakes, be forgiven, and relax in the grace. I have more children to raise."
I don't take issue with what she says about the "beauty of a big family." But, as the mama of a smaller family, with older children, I have a few comments.
My kids are 25, 23, and 21. Admittedly, I am not exactly an empty-nester. My oldest two are girls, and they both lived away from home during college, but returned after graduation. They still live at home, while working and carrying out their young adult lives. This is fine by me and my husband. They are good young women, and are a pleasure to have around. My son is presently away at college, but returns for Christmas and summer breaks. He is about as far away from home as he can get without leaving the continental United States, so we don't really see him at all during the times when his school is in session.
I can tell you for sure, though, that even if nobody lived at home during any time of the year, I could never "look at the regrets, confess the mistakes, be forgiven, and relax in the grace." Okay. Maybe I could do the first three things on this list, but never the last one. And I bet a lot of mamas in my position feel the same. I don't think most mamas can ever just fully "relax in the grace." And do you know why?
Because when a mama looks at her adult kids -- when she sees their struggles, their pain, their heartaches, their failures, their shortcomings -- she is going to (in part, at least) blame herself. She is going to wonder what she could have done differently. And this blaming and wondering is not going to ever completely go away. It will stay with her, for as long as her children have difficulties in life. And, let's face it, who doesn't have difficulties in life? We all do. So, basically, a mama will never completely "relax in the grace." She will never completely stop second-guessing at least some of the things she did while raising her kids. That's the way a mama's heart works, whether she has one child or a dozen. A mama's heart is a mama's heart. It is always concerned. It always feels its responsibility, no matter how empty the nest or how old the children.
Of course, this is not to say that there aren't special joys in being the mother of adult kids. It's fun to see what your children do with themselves when they grow up. It's very enjoyable to relate to them as adults -- with adult conversation and activities. For example, I really enjoy having movie dates and shopping trips and lunches and weekends with my daughters. And it's great fun when my son regales me with tales of college friendships and escapades. My kids also have pretty darn good sense, and have been known to give me great advice when I am confused about a decision I need to make.
In my circle of friends and acquaintances, though, there are many big families. And, occasionally, there are assumptions made about us mamas of smaller families, whether our children are small or grown -- assumptions that might be just a tad bit unfair. So, let's not forget that being a mother -- though great fun and quite rewarding -- can be very difficult. And it can be just as difficult on the mother of a smaller family, on the mother of older children, as it can be on the mother of many. And mothering -- including worrying and fretting about our mistakes -- really never, ever ends.
Showing posts with label mothers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mothers. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Next Summer, I Am Getting A Bikini
If I'm still alive and kicking, anyway.
But, don't worry, I won't be wearing it to any public places.
It's just that we have, in our backyard, what is known as a dough-boy pool. It's one of those above-ground pools, which is composed of a metal frame and a vinyl liner. You get into and out of it via an attached ladder. The one we have is fairly large. And it is wonderful. We live in a canyon in SoCal, where it gets roasting hot in the summer months, so this pool is something which my family enjoys immensely.
As a "more mature" woman, I always buy one-piece bathing suits. Why? Well, you know how it is. Stretch marks from childbearing, a few drooping parts, some rolls where there used to be smooth tightness. All the signs of age and experience. And I wish to spare others the sight of such phenomena, as a general rule.
But, this is the thing. One piece bathing suits are a pain in the ass. You have to haul them up over your whole non-smooth, slightly rounded, middle-aged self and straighten them out painstakingly. And getting them on and off when your skin is damp? Don't even talk to me about it. Also, with all the fabric, they tend to drip a lot more when you emerge from the water, which is quite inconvenient if you have to go into the house for some reason. Your tummy stays pale all summer long, too. How sad is that? Because even if you're not going to attempt to rock the half-shirt look, a white tummy staring you back at you from your mirror during July is just depressing.
Therefore...
I am getting a bikini next summer. Only to be used in my own backyard, in my own dough-boy pool. Yes, my family will have to deal with it. But, I have faith in their ability to suck it up.
And if you want to know what finally inspired me to come to this conclusion, here is a little story:
The summer after I graduated from high school, I was privileged to spend five weeks in Europe. During one week of the trip, I was a passenger on a Greek cruise ship that was equipped with a swimming pool. The ship stopped at various Greek islands, where we were able to disembark and (often) go to the beach. It was a fantastic time. And one thing I noticed were the various older ladies wearing bikinis. One of these women, in particular, I will never forget. She was probably in her 70's. She was not overweight, but she was quite "wrinkly." She had wrinkles and sags and bags everywhere, like most women in their 70's probably do. But, she boldly wore her bikini to the ship's pool. She swam and splashed and sunbathed enthusiastically and unashamedly, along with her companions. I had never seen anything like that in the States. I was really impressed by her confident, fun-loving, youthful attitude. Another thing that impressed me about the situation was that none of the European travelers seemed to notice or care. And I found myself being slightly sad that we, in the good old USA, aren't more like these easy-going Europeans.
I have thought of that lady from time-to-time, over the years. This summer, though, as I hauled my one-piece swim suit up and over my fifty-year-old frame, I thought about her a lot. And I decided, "Dammit. I can have a bikini, too. And I will have a bikini. Next summer." Although, I am not as brave and admirable as that lady on the Greek cruise ship, so y'all don't have to worry about seeing me in it. Unless "y'all" are my husband and kids. ;-)
But, don't worry, I won't be wearing it to any public places.
It's just that we have, in our backyard, what is known as a dough-boy pool. It's one of those above-ground pools, which is composed of a metal frame and a vinyl liner. You get into and out of it via an attached ladder. The one we have is fairly large. And it is wonderful. We live in a canyon in SoCal, where it gets roasting hot in the summer months, so this pool is something which my family enjoys immensely.
As a "more mature" woman, I always buy one-piece bathing suits. Why? Well, you know how it is. Stretch marks from childbearing, a few drooping parts, some rolls where there used to be smooth tightness. All the signs of age and experience. And I wish to spare others the sight of such phenomena, as a general rule.
But, this is the thing. One piece bathing suits are a pain in the ass. You have to haul them up over your whole non-smooth, slightly rounded, middle-aged self and straighten them out painstakingly. And getting them on and off when your skin is damp? Don't even talk to me about it. Also, with all the fabric, they tend to drip a lot more when you emerge from the water, which is quite inconvenient if you have to go into the house for some reason. Your tummy stays pale all summer long, too. How sad is that? Because even if you're not going to attempt to rock the half-shirt look, a white tummy staring you back at you from your mirror during July is just depressing.
Therefore...
I am getting a bikini next summer. Only to be used in my own backyard, in my own dough-boy pool. Yes, my family will have to deal with it. But, I have faith in their ability to suck it up.
And if you want to know what finally inspired me to come to this conclusion, here is a little story:
The summer after I graduated from high school, I was privileged to spend five weeks in Europe. During one week of the trip, I was a passenger on a Greek cruise ship that was equipped with a swimming pool. The ship stopped at various Greek islands, where we were able to disembark and (often) go to the beach. It was a fantastic time. And one thing I noticed were the various older ladies wearing bikinis. One of these women, in particular, I will never forget. She was probably in her 70's. She was not overweight, but she was quite "wrinkly." She had wrinkles and sags and bags everywhere, like most women in their 70's probably do. But, she boldly wore her bikini to the ship's pool. She swam and splashed and sunbathed enthusiastically and unashamedly, along with her companions. I had never seen anything like that in the States. I was really impressed by her confident, fun-loving, youthful attitude. Another thing that impressed me about the situation was that none of the European travelers seemed to notice or care. And I found myself being slightly sad that we, in the good old USA, aren't more like these easy-going Europeans.
I have thought of that lady from time-to-time, over the years. This summer, though, as I hauled my one-piece swim suit up and over my fifty-year-old frame, I thought about her a lot. And I decided, "Dammit. I can have a bikini, too. And I will have a bikini. Next summer." Although, I am not as brave and admirable as that lady on the Greek cruise ship, so y'all don't have to worry about seeing me in it. Unless "y'all" are my husband and kids. ;-)
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Mamas, Kiddos, And Summertime
Summer is here! The kiddos are off school and at home. The days are slow and stress-free. Right?
Haha...
I was reading, this morning, one mom's ponderings about parents (especially mamas) and kiddos and summer. She seems a little frustrated by the fact that she hears mamas complain about having their kids at home all day with them during this special season. She is a little miffed that some of these mamas are quick to put their kids into every kind of summer activity, so that -- presumably -- they will not have to deal with said kids. She blames this apparently selfish attitude on the part of mamas on the sin of pride -- of wanting ones own way and not being willing to put others (like our children) before ourselves.
This particular mom, whose ponderings I was reading, homeschools her own kiddos. She also has many kiddos. She is a wonderful mother. She is a very good person. I don't mean to come down unfairly on her. But, I have a little bit of a different opinion about this situation. And, occasionally, I think I might have some Texas blood in me, as I enjoy "mixing it up" a bit. (See: Stand With Wendy and Battleground Texas and all that.)
So, here I go, throwing my iron into the fire.
I did homeschool my three children, but not until they were going into the 5th grade, the 3rd grade, and kindergarten. My youngest did not actually enter a formal classroom situation until after high school. I spent the first couple of months after he had gone across the country to attend college lying awake at night, wondering and worrying about how he would do and recounting to myself everything I had not done well enough to prepare him. He is now entering his junior year, and he has done just fine. Thanks be to God. Until we decided to homeschool, though, my older children (both girls) attended public school. It was a lovely public school. We didn't homeschool because the regular school was bad or because we are religious zealots. We are Catholic, but we are basically middle-of-the-road people. My children, though, expressed a great interest in being schooled at home. And because there were many social opportunities in our area for them, and because I had been a teacher myself, I decided to give it a go. As it ended up, I was a "homeschool mom" for 13 years.
Having had my kids attend regular school before I homeschooled them, though, did give me an opportunity to compare and contrast the two situations, including the whole "coming home for summer vacation" phenomenon.
And I don't think mothers who get annoyed by their kids when those kids are home all day, every day for summer break are selfish or prideful. They are not bad mamas in any way, shape, or form. They are just dealing with a transition that is difficult -- for both them and their kiddos.
When they are in school, mamas and kids have their routines. Kids know what to expect and what is expected of them both during the school day and when they arrive home in the afternoon or evening. They see the same people every day -- their friends, their teachers, the custodian, the lunch lady. Mothers have their routines, too, whether at their jobs (if they work outside of the home) or in their role as stay-at-home-moms. In their routines during the school year, these moms do not have to see to their kids each and every minute of each and every day, and they probably spend the majority of their time either with other adults or alone. And please know that when I say these things, I am not judging anybody's choices. I am not saying it is better or worse to have a job outside the home or to stay at home. Each woman must make her decisions based on her own personality and circumstances.
When summer arrives, though, everything changes for both the mamas and the kids. If mom works, there is a new childcare arrangement to which the children have to adjust. If mom stays home, suddenly her daily household schedule is upended by the presence of her children. And it is probably a lot noisier in the house than during the school year. It is a huge adjustment for the kids, too. They go from having a highly structured day to having either no structure or very little. So, even though mama loves her kids and enjoys being with them, she is bound to go a little nuts -- whether she works outside the home or not. And the kids are bound to go a little nuts, too. And when you put the stress of the mom together with the stress of the kids -- and you throw some summertime hot weather into the mix -- some fireworks are bound to result. This is not selfish or prideful. This is normal human emotion. No wonder the mom is out signing her kids up for all kinds of summer activities and camps. She wants to save her own sanity, yes. And saving ones sanity is not selfish. But, she's also thinking of her kids -- that they will be happier and have more fun and even have some new experiences.
It is a nice thing, though -- and probably most moms would agree with this -- to be able to spend time at home with your kids during the summer in a peaceful way. So, I would like to offer a few suggestions which, believe me, came from learning things the hard way. I hope they will be useful to you. If they are not, feel free to discount them.
I think the first two or three weeks of summer break are the most difficult. Be patient with yourself and with your kids. Trust that things will get better. As for daily activities, the following is what I found most helpful:
I would try to have an idea in my head of how I wanted the day to go. I tried to get up in the morning and shower before my kids were awake. If they all got up and started running around and playing loudly and fighting with each other before I had my shower, well... I could be a little short-tempered. After I had my shower, I would get my coffee. Then the little people would usually start getting up. I did not allow rough and loud play at this time of the day. Why? Because I could not take it. So, I would assist each one in dressing and hair combing, as their age and maturity level required. Then they would have breakfast and we would chat. After breakfast, they brushed their teeth. Then they were allowed to watch a bit of TV (something kid-friendly) or read or play with their toys. While they did these things, I would clean up from breakfast and do any other chores that were necessary so that I could feel at least relatively organized. Sometimes the kids would start to fight. I would stop them. Why? Because I could not take the fighting. (Yes, mamas, I am pretty convinced that you should not have to put up with your kids fighting. I mean, all kids fight, but you don't have to put up with it. You are worth more than that.) After I was done doing what I needed to do, I would take the kids somewhere, bringing along a snack. We would not go anywhere fancy -- just out of the house. They enjoyed the park most especially. They also liked the "duck pond." But, even a little walk around the neighborhood could be fun. Once a week, or so, we would perhaps go to a kid-friendly museum or to the beach or to the lake that is near our home. Then it was usually time for lunch.
After lunch, I would let them watch a little TV while I cleaned up and rested a little. Maybe I would have some tea. Then I would usually read to them. I read to them even when they were perfectly able to read by themselves. I would read all sorts of things. There was only one rule. The reading material had to be interesting TO ME. Yup. TO ME. Of course, it had to be interesting to them, too, or else they would start cutting up. While I read, they could draw or color or play with blocks or lego-type things. After reading, they did what they wanted to do while I did what I needed to do. But, what they wanted to do could not involve destruction or ungodly levels of noise. As they got older, this was an ideal time for them to practice musical instruments or even listen to music. I tried mightily to get them all to appreciate Bon Jovi. And, by God, I succeeded.
If it was a hot day -- as it usually is here during the summer -- we would often go to the community pool during the later part of the afternoon. If you don't have a community pool, you can usually arrange some sort of water-play outside of your home, even if you just have a small patio. When I was growing up, my mom used to put my sisters and I in our swim suits and we would play on our porch with our Barbie pool and Barbie dolls for hours at a time. My favorite thing was to pretend the Barbies would be involved in near-drownings and have to save each other. A Ken doll would come in handy for this game.
After this, everyone would be getting kind of tired, even me. But, as it is with moms, the most tiring part of the day was yet to be lived -- dinner and clean-up and bed time. So, I'd get the kids dried off and dressed and put them in front of the TV. What would they watch? For this time of day, "Emergency!" was a favorite. All my kids loved "Emergency!" They also loved "Lost In Space" and "Wonder Woman." These shows are great choices while you're making dinner. Your kids will be glued to the screen and you can drink a beer and throw some burgers together. Or hot dogs. Or chicken, if you want to be all healthy about it.
Hopefully, dad will be coming in about now. And, hopefully, mom and dad like each other. Perhaps they can cooperate in getting the kids fed, having a bit of family time together, and accomplishing the bedtime routine. Then they can neck on the sofa before passing out from exhaustion. ;-)
Haha...
I was reading, this morning, one mom's ponderings about parents (especially mamas) and kiddos and summer. She seems a little frustrated by the fact that she hears mamas complain about having their kids at home all day with them during this special season. She is a little miffed that some of these mamas are quick to put their kids into every kind of summer activity, so that -- presumably -- they will not have to deal with said kids. She blames this apparently selfish attitude on the part of mamas on the sin of pride -- of wanting ones own way and not being willing to put others (like our children) before ourselves.
This particular mom, whose ponderings I was reading, homeschools her own kiddos. She also has many kiddos. She is a wonderful mother. She is a very good person. I don't mean to come down unfairly on her. But, I have a little bit of a different opinion about this situation. And, occasionally, I think I might have some Texas blood in me, as I enjoy "mixing it up" a bit. (See: Stand With Wendy and Battleground Texas and all that.)
So, here I go, throwing my iron into the fire.
I did homeschool my three children, but not until they were going into the 5th grade, the 3rd grade, and kindergarten. My youngest did not actually enter a formal classroom situation until after high school. I spent the first couple of months after he had gone across the country to attend college lying awake at night, wondering and worrying about how he would do and recounting to myself everything I had not done well enough to prepare him. He is now entering his junior year, and he has done just fine. Thanks be to God. Until we decided to homeschool, though, my older children (both girls) attended public school. It was a lovely public school. We didn't homeschool because the regular school was bad or because we are religious zealots. We are Catholic, but we are basically middle-of-the-road people. My children, though, expressed a great interest in being schooled at home. And because there were many social opportunities in our area for them, and because I had been a teacher myself, I decided to give it a go. As it ended up, I was a "homeschool mom" for 13 years.
Having had my kids attend regular school before I homeschooled them, though, did give me an opportunity to compare and contrast the two situations, including the whole "coming home for summer vacation" phenomenon.
And I don't think mothers who get annoyed by their kids when those kids are home all day, every day for summer break are selfish or prideful. They are not bad mamas in any way, shape, or form. They are just dealing with a transition that is difficult -- for both them and their kiddos.
When they are in school, mamas and kids have their routines. Kids know what to expect and what is expected of them both during the school day and when they arrive home in the afternoon or evening. They see the same people every day -- their friends, their teachers, the custodian, the lunch lady. Mothers have their routines, too, whether at their jobs (if they work outside of the home) or in their role as stay-at-home-moms. In their routines during the school year, these moms do not have to see to their kids each and every minute of each and every day, and they probably spend the majority of their time either with other adults or alone. And please know that when I say these things, I am not judging anybody's choices. I am not saying it is better or worse to have a job outside the home or to stay at home. Each woman must make her decisions based on her own personality and circumstances.
When summer arrives, though, everything changes for both the mamas and the kids. If mom works, there is a new childcare arrangement to which the children have to adjust. If mom stays home, suddenly her daily household schedule is upended by the presence of her children. And it is probably a lot noisier in the house than during the school year. It is a huge adjustment for the kids, too. They go from having a highly structured day to having either no structure or very little. So, even though mama loves her kids and enjoys being with them, she is bound to go a little nuts -- whether she works outside the home or not. And the kids are bound to go a little nuts, too. And when you put the stress of the mom together with the stress of the kids -- and you throw some summertime hot weather into the mix -- some fireworks are bound to result. This is not selfish or prideful. This is normal human emotion. No wonder the mom is out signing her kids up for all kinds of summer activities and camps. She wants to save her own sanity, yes. And saving ones sanity is not selfish. But, she's also thinking of her kids -- that they will be happier and have more fun and even have some new experiences.
It is a nice thing, though -- and probably most moms would agree with this -- to be able to spend time at home with your kids during the summer in a peaceful way. So, I would like to offer a few suggestions which, believe me, came from learning things the hard way. I hope they will be useful to you. If they are not, feel free to discount them.
I think the first two or three weeks of summer break are the most difficult. Be patient with yourself and with your kids. Trust that things will get better. As for daily activities, the following is what I found most helpful:
I would try to have an idea in my head of how I wanted the day to go. I tried to get up in the morning and shower before my kids were awake. If they all got up and started running around and playing loudly and fighting with each other before I had my shower, well... I could be a little short-tempered. After I had my shower, I would get my coffee. Then the little people would usually start getting up. I did not allow rough and loud play at this time of the day. Why? Because I could not take it. So, I would assist each one in dressing and hair combing, as their age and maturity level required. Then they would have breakfast and we would chat. After breakfast, they brushed their teeth. Then they were allowed to watch a bit of TV (something kid-friendly) or read or play with their toys. While they did these things, I would clean up from breakfast and do any other chores that were necessary so that I could feel at least relatively organized. Sometimes the kids would start to fight. I would stop them. Why? Because I could not take the fighting. (Yes, mamas, I am pretty convinced that you should not have to put up with your kids fighting. I mean, all kids fight, but you don't have to put up with it. You are worth more than that.) After I was done doing what I needed to do, I would take the kids somewhere, bringing along a snack. We would not go anywhere fancy -- just out of the house. They enjoyed the park most especially. They also liked the "duck pond." But, even a little walk around the neighborhood could be fun. Once a week, or so, we would perhaps go to a kid-friendly museum or to the beach or to the lake that is near our home. Then it was usually time for lunch.
After lunch, I would let them watch a little TV while I cleaned up and rested a little. Maybe I would have some tea. Then I would usually read to them. I read to them even when they were perfectly able to read by themselves. I would read all sorts of things. There was only one rule. The reading material had to be interesting TO ME. Yup. TO ME. Of course, it had to be interesting to them, too, or else they would start cutting up. While I read, they could draw or color or play with blocks or lego-type things. After reading, they did what they wanted to do while I did what I needed to do. But, what they wanted to do could not involve destruction or ungodly levels of noise. As they got older, this was an ideal time for them to practice musical instruments or even listen to music. I tried mightily to get them all to appreciate Bon Jovi. And, by God, I succeeded.
If it was a hot day -- as it usually is here during the summer -- we would often go to the community pool during the later part of the afternoon. If you don't have a community pool, you can usually arrange some sort of water-play outside of your home, even if you just have a small patio. When I was growing up, my mom used to put my sisters and I in our swim suits and we would play on our porch with our Barbie pool and Barbie dolls for hours at a time. My favorite thing was to pretend the Barbies would be involved in near-drownings and have to save each other. A Ken doll would come in handy for this game.
After this, everyone would be getting kind of tired, even me. But, as it is with moms, the most tiring part of the day was yet to be lived -- dinner and clean-up and bed time. So, I'd get the kids dried off and dressed and put them in front of the TV. What would they watch? For this time of day, "Emergency!" was a favorite. All my kids loved "Emergency!" They also loved "Lost In Space" and "Wonder Woman." These shows are great choices while you're making dinner. Your kids will be glued to the screen and you can drink a beer and throw some burgers together. Or hot dogs. Or chicken, if you want to be all healthy about it.
Hopefully, dad will be coming in about now. And, hopefully, mom and dad like each other. Perhaps they can cooperate in getting the kids fed, having a bit of family time together, and accomplishing the bedtime routine. Then they can neck on the sofa before passing out from exhaustion. ;-)
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
To My Girls
Dear Andrea and Bridget,
I know you already know these things. But, I thought I'd just write them down, for whatever they're worth. Please don't feel naggety-nagged. This little exercise is perhaps more for my own benefit than for yours.
You are both now college graduates, entering the world of work and the adventure known as the "rest of your life." I know it is exciting, but also scary and confusing and difficult.
You have both been provided with solid, Catholic higher educations. This is something both your father and I wanted for you, and we are so happy that you wanted them, too. You have both truly taken full advantage of the educational opportunities afforded you. You have achieved the twin goals of majoring in worthy subject areas and learning your faith at an advanced level. And your faith now permeates all you do, in both your personal and work lives. I see this every day. And I am so very happy that your faith is a consolation to you. It is not a burden. The Lord should never be a burden. Always remember that the Lord loves you and is on your side. Too many people today -- even Catholic people -- seem to view the Lord as a burden. As someone always waiting for them to trip up, so he can judge and condemn them. And that is very sad to me.
Which brings me to this. Your dad and I wanted you to be educated in your faith for your own good, but also for the good of others. Not so you can go around being preachy and pushy and judgmental. But, so that you can be a "light of love." Do you remember in "The O.C.", during the Passover episode in the 1st season, when Sandy Cohen begins the prayer at the Seder dinner? He prays that their family will be and do good for the world, for the country, for the community. That their family will care for humanity. Well, that prayer is a good summary of what your dad and I hope for you. So, take your educations and go out into the world and meet people Where They Are. Be compassionate. Listen to others' points of view, humbly recognizing the truth contained in those points of view. Don't demonize those who disagree with you. But, realize that most people are good, and that they want to do the right thing. And, realizing this, work with all people of good-will for a better world, knowing that you will not always get your way. Knowing that people need to make their own choices without being coerced or forced or guilt-tripped into things. Look for the virtue in people. Look for the fun. Look for the joy. And, finding these things, enjoy those other people, even if they are very different from you, and work together toward a more fraternal society.
Remember, also, that Jesus repeatedly says, "Do not be afraid." I think he says this so often because we all tend to become easily afraid. Many of your friends are afraid of what they see going on in our country and in our world. You have seen what happens when people give into that fear. People hide, stop speaking to anyone who disagrees with them, only befriend those who are like-minded, see the worst in the motivations of others. I admit, I have been guilty of this, too. But, this is not what we are supposed to do as Catholics. We are supposed to be "in" the world, but not "of" the world. Being "in" the world means that we are not supposed to run away. We are supposed to be part of the "grand party" of life, along with all the other people God has created. And what does it mean to not be "of" the world? It doesn't mean that we are to look down our noses at people who don't share our perspective. It does mean that we are to always have hope, no matter what goes on around us. That we are to realize that no matter what our government or our politicians do, they cannot take away that hope, for it is not grounded in them. Real faith, and a real life of faith, is not dependent on worldly "leaders." Accordingly, when you see others losing hope, being not "of" the world means that you will provide a listening ear, some empathy -- whether or not those people share your belief system.
So, beautiful daughters of mine, I love you so very much. And, again, I know you already know these things. It just feels good to write them down. And, as you find your way through the minefields of life, know that you will step on some of those mines and they will loudly detonate, but you never know what loveliness lies just beyond the smoke and debris.
All my heart,
Mum
I know you already know these things. But, I thought I'd just write them down, for whatever they're worth. Please don't feel naggety-nagged. This little exercise is perhaps more for my own benefit than for yours.
You are both now college graduates, entering the world of work and the adventure known as the "rest of your life." I know it is exciting, but also scary and confusing and difficult.
You have both been provided with solid, Catholic higher educations. This is something both your father and I wanted for you, and we are so happy that you wanted them, too. You have both truly taken full advantage of the educational opportunities afforded you. You have achieved the twin goals of majoring in worthy subject areas and learning your faith at an advanced level. And your faith now permeates all you do, in both your personal and work lives. I see this every day. And I am so very happy that your faith is a consolation to you. It is not a burden. The Lord should never be a burden. Always remember that the Lord loves you and is on your side. Too many people today -- even Catholic people -- seem to view the Lord as a burden. As someone always waiting for them to trip up, so he can judge and condemn them. And that is very sad to me.
Which brings me to this. Your dad and I wanted you to be educated in your faith for your own good, but also for the good of others. Not so you can go around being preachy and pushy and judgmental. But, so that you can be a "light of love." Do you remember in "The O.C.", during the Passover episode in the 1st season, when Sandy Cohen begins the prayer at the Seder dinner? He prays that their family will be and do good for the world, for the country, for the community. That their family will care for humanity. Well, that prayer is a good summary of what your dad and I hope for you. So, take your educations and go out into the world and meet people Where They Are. Be compassionate. Listen to others' points of view, humbly recognizing the truth contained in those points of view. Don't demonize those who disagree with you. But, realize that most people are good, and that they want to do the right thing. And, realizing this, work with all people of good-will for a better world, knowing that you will not always get your way. Knowing that people need to make their own choices without being coerced or forced or guilt-tripped into things. Look for the virtue in people. Look for the fun. Look for the joy. And, finding these things, enjoy those other people, even if they are very different from you, and work together toward a more fraternal society.
Remember, also, that Jesus repeatedly says, "Do not be afraid." I think he says this so often because we all tend to become easily afraid. Many of your friends are afraid of what they see going on in our country and in our world. You have seen what happens when people give into that fear. People hide, stop speaking to anyone who disagrees with them, only befriend those who are like-minded, see the worst in the motivations of others. I admit, I have been guilty of this, too. But, this is not what we are supposed to do as Catholics. We are supposed to be "in" the world, but not "of" the world. Being "in" the world means that we are not supposed to run away. We are supposed to be part of the "grand party" of life, along with all the other people God has created. And what does it mean to not be "of" the world? It doesn't mean that we are to look down our noses at people who don't share our perspective. It does mean that we are to always have hope, no matter what goes on around us. That we are to realize that no matter what our government or our politicians do, they cannot take away that hope, for it is not grounded in them. Real faith, and a real life of faith, is not dependent on worldly "leaders." Accordingly, when you see others losing hope, being not "of" the world means that you will provide a listening ear, some empathy -- whether or not those people share your belief system.
So, beautiful daughters of mine, I love you so very much. And, again, I know you already know these things. It just feels good to write them down. And, as you find your way through the minefields of life, know that you will step on some of those mines and they will loudly detonate, but you never know what loveliness lies just beyond the smoke and debris.
All my heart,
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