Newspaper headlines are discouraging. Yet, they reveal the reality of our society.
Today, every day violence, sex, child abuse, and substance abuse can be found gracing numerous pages of the newspaper. Entering rehab for alcohol before reaching the legal age to drink has become more common. Divorce is the norm, not the exception. Drugs have become an entrepreneurial endeavor for the white-collar worker. Now, the number of incarcerated adults topples 2.3 million nationwide.
There is no shortage of difficulty or depressing news around us. Thriving each day can be a struggle.
When things get difficult, we each respond differently. Withdraw and retreat. Pray. Get busy. Seek comfort. Avoid. Rage.
So much of being a parent flows from our example. Our children watch how we handle what life throws our way. They learn our coping skills and then carry them into adulthood.
We are raising the future leaders of our country. What is it we’d like to pass on?
I just returned from the Writing for the SoulWriter’s Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. What a motivating, encouraging, and invigorating conference! One of the greatest things I love about this conference is that I walk away refueled in ways that go beyond my writing career.
I attended McNair Wilson’s workshops and continuing classes on Creativity and Brainstorming. He is an author, actor, playwright, and humorist who challenges the status quo like no other. Shortly after I finished an appointment with an editor, I walked into his next session that had already begun.
“Is anyone in here still writing with a ball point pen?” He blurted. “Stop! Grab one of these markers up here — you’ll take better notes.”
A bit confused, I grabbed a marker wondering how I would take a cornucopia of notes in my outline with a thicker tip than my ball point pen. In mid-sentence, my notes went from small blue type font, to a larger teal imprint. At the next break, I went up and asked McNair the purpose of the marker.
“If you do the same thing the same way every time, you will see the same thing. To tap into your creativity, do it differently.”
I shared with him how my very creative daughter does her homework in colors, but I never understood why. To me, her math homework appeared messy and hard to read with the variety of colored markers. Social Studies and Language Arts reports came filled with various colored computer fonts and pictures. Everything comes with color and pictures.
“Of course it is. That is how her mind thinks.” McNair said.
I now understand. My daughter’s creativity flows into everything she does. Unintentionally, I had encouraged her to conform instead of tap into her natural creativity.
I took notes the rest of the conference in my teal-colored marker. When I filled up the page, I continued in the notepad they provided. By the end of the conference, I was determined to get a whole set of colored markers for myself.
When I got home, I showed my daughter my colored notes.
“Where did you get that cool marker?” she asked.
“McNair Wilson gave it to me.” I said. “I’m going to go buy a whole set for myself.”
She smiled.
As parents, it is so easy to encourage our children to conform. Without realizing it, we can zap their imagination and squelch their originality.
I know that isn’t what I desire to do. God has gifted my daughter in ways beyond my imagination. I want to encourage her to live out her God-given inspiration. So, I’m stepping out of my black and white routine and choosing to live in color!
As I sit here this morning, the soothing music swells in the background while my candles flicker their luster. It brings to my mind the light we flash to our children.
Some days my glow is rather dim. Other days my wick is cut too short and the flame blows out time after time. These are not my shining moments as a mom, but it is from these moments that I learn and grow.
Did we take time to listen or just spout our thoughts? Were we exhausted? Did we take on too many commitments that now have us overwhelmed? Are we weary in need of renewal? Where did it all go wrong?
The difficulty comes in that life doesn’t afford extra time for pondering. It races to the next task or the next problem to solve. But as parents, we need to take time for evaluation in order to restore the luster in our light.
The light from my candle grows dim when it’s at the bottom of the wick and it needs some rejuvenation. To parent on empty ensures I will spew out the attitudes I care not to spurt. With a short wick, I need to scrap away the wax engulfing the wick to allow it room to glow once again. These are the times I take out my calendar and start erasing.
When we take a few moments to look at what is behind our fading shimmer, the flame can rise and sparkle once again.
