|
|
WHEN CHILDREN LEARNWhen children learn that happiness is not found in what a person has but in who that person is,
When they learn that giving and forgiving are more rewarding than taking
and avenging,
When they learn that suffering is not eased by self-pity, but overcome
by inner resolve and spiritual strength,
When they learn that they can't control the world around them, that they
are the masters of their own soul,
When they learn that relationships will prosper if they value
friendship over ego, compromise over pride, and listening over advising,
When they learn not to hate a person whose difference they fear, but to
fear that kind of hate,
When they learn that there is pleasure in the power of lifting others
up, not in the pseudo power of pushing them down,
When they learn that praise from others is flattering but meaningless if
it not matched by self-respect,
When they learn that the value of a life is best measured not by the
years spent accumulating possessions, but by the moments spent giving of
one's self-sharing wisdom, inspiring hope, wiping tears, and touching
hearts,
When they learn that a person's beauty is seen not with eyes but with
the heart; and that even though time and hardships may ravage one's outer
shell, they can enhance one's character and perspective,
When they learn to withhold judgment of people, knowing everyone is
blessed with good and bad qualities, and the emergence of either often
depends on the help given or hurt inflicted by others,
When they learn that every person has been given the gift of a unique
self, and purpose of life is to share the very best of that gift with the
world,
When children learn these ideals and how to practice them in the art of
good living, they will no longer be children - they will be blessings to
those who know them, and worthy models of the world.
David L. Weatherford