A great sadness to me is the lack of bonding between my children, their children, my nieces and nephews, and my husband. This seems to be the product of my husband's belief that children are the province of the women, and that man's job is simply to support the moms. He usually interjects his opinions only when directly asked. If only they sought more contact with him, he would have so much to offer them.
His quiet good humor is, in the words of a friend, like that of "a happy baby." His dogged determination to complete projects with great care and precision, no matter the obstacles facing him, is to be admired. For this, he gets much ridicule in our "hurry up and get it done" world.
I have heard it said that we form our beliefs about God in watching how our father's behave. If this is true, I think we could do with more people in positions of authority who exhibit patience, determination, and good humor, especially toward those who are most vulnerable in society.
Why is it that so few enjoy life's processes? Isn't serenity built on the belief that life is a journey, not a destination? How many actually live in the small moments that make up life, rather than incessantly focusing on "what's next?"
In evaluating life, I have come to the belief that our old age is a gift to us and the generations coming after us; a time when we are tasked with imparting to our youth the lessons we have learned. What are we to do with all the wisdom if the children we have so loved turn away from us?
I share your concerns about what to do if the children turn away from us. But Richard's way is the only way I see to cope with this phenomena - allow them to become their own selves and slowly come to realize what opportunities they missed. In retrospect, I have come to realize how much I missed by not being closer to my own Dad who has already gone to his reward. There is hope. Just recently I heard one of my grand-daughters who is now in college say, "If only I had listened to you when I was younger." ☺
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