Sunday, February 26, 2012
A great gift a Father can give to his children
A Dad's behavior towards his wife and daughters shows a daughter (and all her friends!) how she should expect to be treated by a man. Set the bar high Dads, so she chooses a mate using the right standard and, when she sees or experiences disrespectful or abusive behavior, her immediate reaction is to terminate the relationship, because you have taught her well.
A Dad's behavior shows a son the respect and honor he should show to a lady. Here again Dads, set the bar high so he attracts the finest women of faith and integrity.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
You can't enjoy an egg without cracking it!
A friend sent me the following quote: "Ring the Bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." by Leonard Cohen
It conjured up so many thought-provoking images, I thought I would share some.
As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I have always viewed myself as damaged. Not scratched, but seriously, and at times life-threateningly damaged. Most of my energy was spent covering over the cracks, which symbolized this damage. I labored endlessly to hide the cracks and hopefully make them disappear. Most times, I was much more willing to allow the internal pain, suffering and anxiety to build to a bursting point, rather than allow others to see the real, and the real size, of the cracks in my facade.
The quote above gave me a whole new perspective. While I was hiding, I didn't realize I was blocking out all the sunlight that brings joy into a life and makes one a person others desire to be around. By patching over the crack in the bell, me, I muffled the beauty of its ring and the opportunity for the real me to shine and spread light.
Today, I accept the cracks, large and small, and I feel joy in the resonance my life has and how that echo encourages and supports others. I accept that sometime there will be a harsh tone that represents the mistakes of life. I pray to learn from those, but not allow them to silence my ring. My ring is distinctive, because I embrace the uniqueness of my "bell". It is important to the symphony of life. Maybe there is a lesson in this for all of us.
It conjured up so many thought-provoking images, I thought I would share some.
As a survivor of child sexual abuse, I have always viewed myself as damaged. Not scratched, but seriously, and at times life-threateningly damaged. Most of my energy was spent covering over the cracks, which symbolized this damage. I labored endlessly to hide the cracks and hopefully make them disappear. Most times, I was much more willing to allow the internal pain, suffering and anxiety to build to a bursting point, rather than allow others to see the real, and the real size, of the cracks in my facade.
The quote above gave me a whole new perspective. While I was hiding, I didn't realize I was blocking out all the sunlight that brings joy into a life and makes one a person others desire to be around. By patching over the crack in the bell, me, I muffled the beauty of its ring and the opportunity for the real me to shine and spread light.
Today, I accept the cracks, large and small, and I feel joy in the resonance my life has and how that echo encourages and supports others. I accept that sometime there will be a harsh tone that represents the mistakes of life. I pray to learn from those, but not allow them to silence my ring. My ring is distinctive, because I embrace the uniqueness of my "bell". It is important to the symphony of life. Maybe there is a lesson in this for all of us.
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