Young people are just so wonderful and funny. It's sad how the grace period for them to remain young and child-like gets assaulted so early in their lives, squeezing them into a mold so as to take their place in the machine.
This post was inspired by Ellie. It is her quote in the title. After the conversation that I describe below, those were her words to me. So here's the blog post Ellie.
Last night my 15 year old had a couple of her friends over and along with my 13 year old they built a make-shift tent in the living room. When I came into the room to find that it had been consumed by this creation I asked what they were doing. This response came from under the cover: "We made a tent" to which I responded, "Why?" Ellie's answer was perfect. "Because it has been so long since I had made one and I just wanted to." You gotta love it.
Here's something good for us parents to constantly remind our children of:
Baby slow down
The end is not as fun as the start
Please stay a child somewhere in your heart
And here is some good advice for us adults because us saying it isn't enough...they need to see us doing the same and from what I see today they are seeing too often the opposite. This is from Anne LaMott's book Plan B.
"My friend Mark, who works with church youth groups reminded me recently that Sam doesn't need me to correct his feelings. He needs me to listen, to be clear and fair and parental. But most of all he needs me to be alive in a way that makes him feel he will be able to bear adulthood, because he is terrified of death, and that includes growing up to be one of the stressed-out, grey-faced adults he sees rushing around him."
6 comments:
Hey kent. Great post man! I love Anne LaMott's writing. I am reading Traveling Mercies right now. Not too long ago I read Grace Eventually.
Have a safe and Happy New Year my friend.
Peace!
Keith
Kent,
How fun!! The moment I saw that picture, I was brought back to my childhood years when I, too, would take all the couch cushions and transform them into forts and dive into make-believe land. Such good times.
I love what you said here about embracing the inner child within. We can sooo do this, as adults, maintaining a child-likeness in spirit. Living life in a playful attitude.
Your girls are such a blessing.
Blessings,
~Amy :)
"Your girls are such a blessing."
All the time.
Keith, Traveling Mercies is my favorite LaMott book. I laughed and cried as I read it. I was on a plane headed for Oregon...those sitting around had to of thought there was something seriously wrong with me. hehe
Kent,
I'm encouraged for you at this bubbling up to the surface of the "child-ness" of your girls!
As we were watching fireworks after midnight through the living room window, my 17-year-old suddenly appeared in the backyard just a few feet away from us. Because we had turned the lights off to be able to watch the spectacle better, I'm not sure that she was aware that I was practically next to her watching as she watched.
Suddenly, she flopped down on the ground in the snow on her back... and the next thing I know, she's making a snow angel at the same time as she watched the fireworks going off over her head!
I was so privileged to witness this small burst of "child-ness" in her, as she faces her last semester at home with us, before heading off to college! I love it!
Thanks for helping me to view this as the precious memory that it is!
Happy New Year!
that's cool Bones.
I just missed the thrill of it all during the years I was so uptight. I'm just enjoying it so much now.
Check out the thread I began on The Shack forum.
I love it! I told Mike about this and he laughed : ) I'm so glad they did it. It's so funny to see your family room like that!
Happiness to all of you in 2009
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