March 7, 2011 Monday: Gift of Parenthood
The Great Gift of Parenthood
Children are their parents' guests. They come into the
space that has been created for them, stay for a while -
fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years - and leave again to
create their own space. Although parents speak about "our
son" and "our daughter," their children are not their
property. In many ways children are strangers. Parents have
to come to know them, discover their strengths and their
weaknesses, and guide them to maturity, allowing them to
make their own decisions.
The greatest gift parents can give their children is their
love for each other. Through that love they create an
anxiety-free place for their children to grow, encouraging
them to develop confidence in themselves and find the
freedom to choose their own ways in life.
-Henri Nouwen
Children are their parents' guests. They come into the
space that has been created for them, stay for a while -
fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years - and leave again to
create their own space. Although parents speak about "our
son" and "our daughter," their children are not their
property. In many ways children are strangers. Parents have
to come to know them, discover their strengths and their
weaknesses, and guide them to maturity, allowing them to
make their own decisions.
The greatest gift parents can give their children is their
love for each other. Through that love they create an
anxiety-free place for their children to grow, encouraging
them to develop confidence in themselves and find the
freedom to choose their own ways in life.
-Henri Nouwen
