The first skill a parent needs, and it’s instinctive but we shun it as the infant matures, is simple listening. Is the baby crying? Are they hungry, scared, lonely? Why is this wrong for us to use with ourselves or out intimates? If we kept that listening, would there be neglected seniors? Would we be so eager to backstab another because “It’s all about me”?
My crying made my parents feel bad so I stopped. That was messed up, it shouldn’t have been about them. *nods in hearty agreement* What would Jesus do? Well, he apparently was quite attractive to children, and he just spent time with them. He was one among them. Were his scolding’s against children?
He might have simply given the crying child a hug. Yes, simple comfort. He also taught this, I paraphrase; If you wouldn’t give your child a stone when they say they are hungry, why do you treat your neighbour differently? What would Jesus do? It seems it can all boil down to being a good parent? A good guardian? A good savoir? What about the Buddha when any random person came and wanted his attention, did he say “No, go away, I’m busy”? Did Ghandi tell his neighbours when they came asking for his advice about their hardships with the english, “That’s your problem, grow up and handle it yourself”?
I like the story when a mother asked him how to help her sugar addicted son I think it was. He said come back in two weeks. When she comes back he answers and when asked why she had to wait, he said I had to become sugar addict. Yes, is amusing but also true. What spiritual example ever blew someone off or said “I am above you”? Mother Teresa didn’t live in a comfy home. The church would have cared for her housing, but she lived more like her people did. Lived hard, and instead sought things for “her children”. She deserved the title Mother. Did she reject the offerings of those she had helped? When they said “Mother, will you come eat with us?”, did she say no? Did Jesus say no? When a child brings us an offering of something we deem strange, or that we don’t need, what is our response?
Thank you. Well yes, some of us thank them, but many reject it. Such a simple thing, but it makes such a difference for that little heart.
Say thank you and then the kid finds it in the garbage. They might laugh at the gift as a silly thing. Yes, none of that should happen. We get our self image from that, those early rejected offerings. The child has no sense of money really. Usually their modest offering is in truth more precious than money, because it didn’t come from Mannon. It didn’t come from that level of reality. Money isn’t evil, but it being made a God is. Even if you feel you really must discard something they gave, it still needn’t be a rejection. You can include them in why you’re doing it. They find the world fascinating, maybe even let them have some opinion.
Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.
Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~