My heart is a bit heavy this morning.
My tempered tongue wedged its way between my very strong willed daughter and myself during the ride to school.
As a parent, each of us wants nothing more than the absolute best for our children... right mind, right attitude, right heart. But, we don't wake up at the parental door stoop with the perfect welcome basket of goodies enough to last the journey.
More often, we find ourselves adding to that basket, taking from it, swapping out this for that... completely tossing the damn basket out the door. We are constantly evolving, bracing for the next challenge... reaching for more flexibility.
Unlike the perfect television sitcom, we are not always found basking in the glow of a sunshine moment.
In trying to do best by our children, in juggling their many emotions, in wading through our own *stuff* along the way, sometimes we fall short... short on patience, short on time, short on *I'm sorry, Momma was wrong*; but never shortage on guilt.
So, how do you handle your guilt, imaginary or justified? Guilt... that dirty, leftover residue that comes from reacting instead of acting, from challenging sour behavior instead of creating positive change... that emotion that seems synonymous to parenting no matter what you do or don't do.
But, guilt can serve a purpose. Guilt can be that reminder to periodically check ourselves, re-evaluating our purpose as parents. Re-navigating our sometimes misguided emotional delivery.
After-all, children are children. Their purpose is to stumble, grow, stumble, leap, stumble... thrive. And they do this best not through a crushed spirit, but one guided back onto that path through unconditional love, patience and the promise of a slate wiped clean.
