Accepting and Respecting

Each child is born into this world with unique gifts – that is, each child has something nobody else has. It could be a whole lot more than others, a whole lot less, or simply a whole lot different. Nevertheless, what our children have is “whole” for them. Deepak Chopra tells us that our “individuality is intimately woven into the fabric of life – that [we are each] a strand in the web of life.” Accepting and respecting this uniqueness or individuality is the key to honoring our children and winning their hearts.

Within the heart of our mind and the mind of our heart, we should accept our children just as they are and respect their individual personalities, honoring them for their ability to complement us and one another. Herman Hesse captured this intention in his story Narcissus and Goldmund:

We are sun and moon, dear friend; we are sea and land. It is not our purpose to become each other; it is to recognize each other, to learn to see the other and honor him for what he is: each the other’s opposite and complement.

If we keep in mind that we have much to learn from our kids and that they are our perfect complement, we honor their individuality. Of course, honoring our children doesn’t mean that we should roll out the red carpet for them. But when we understand and appreciate their role in our lives, we start to move toward acceptance. And when we accept their individuality and their personality, we move toward respect. And respect? Well, that is simply love in action. When we respect our children, we act upon the unconditional love we feel for them.

 

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