Parenting

Since we're kind of right in between
Mother's Day and Father's Day,

thought I'd throw this one out there.

Lemme know whatcha think!

Parenting

by Lyn Marinello

 

As you age you understand just a smidge of your parents' woes

The worries that they battled as each precious child grows

Work hard for what you want and play when you are able

Say your prayers before bed each night and keep your elbows off the table

Always say, "Please" and "Thank you"; treat strangers as though new friends

Apologize when you've made mistakes; always try to make amends

Eat up all your meat and veggies. Don't be too shy to enjoy dessert

Don't be afraid to speak your mind, but be mindful that words can hurt

These are simple tasks of parenting, though none of them are easy

Parenting's not for the faint of heart or for those who are quickly queasy

As children grow you navigate on terribly thin ice

You hope the foundation that you've laid is solid enough to suffice

You must build up a little ego, but not to boisterous extreme

Raise a considerate, caring human with a bullet-proof self-esteem

You have to teach respect but debating tools as well

Obey the laws before you, but when wronged you fight like hell

You tilled the earth they walk on. Set down roots to keep them grounded

Redirected when they veered off course; offered guidance when confounded

You padded the nest they laid in; provided a haven of safety and rest

Imparted the passion to chase their dreams and the stamina to face said quest

You urged them in jumping from that nest, assured you'd catch them or they'd fly

You gave them strong and mighty wings with which to soar on high

When they're little you protect them, but a broken heart is hard to mend

So you sit and cry and listen, so they know you comprehend

You hug them back together; absorb all the pain and tears

Stand beside them undeterred as they battle down their fears

You celebrate the victories and coach them through defeat

You let them fall; the lesson learned, though the education's bittersweet

You've got to let them go and make errors all on their own

You pray they will take solace in the most basic seeds you've sown

You can't hold their hands forever, but hearts are eternally connected

The only true rule in parenting is that absolutely anything's expected

Without manuals or directions we all take on this blessed task

With nothing but each other to answer all the questions that we ask

Those apron strings must be untied, though the bond is never ending

Parenting; that thankless, unpaid job is worth all the effort you're expending.

Super

Whether you are a Superman
or Supermom,

this is for you ...

Some days ...

I wear my cape

like a blanket,

just to get through.

It's all good.

You're doing great!

Smile

Nothing costs as little
and

is worth as much

as your smile.

Share that beautiful beacon

EVERYWHERE 

and with

EVERYONE!

Reminder to Self

A pure and peaceful soul

finds light everywhere

and also within.

I wish you peace

and purity

and light.

Anyway

Not everyone has the same heart as you.
Be kind anyway.

Not everyone cares the same as you.

Be loving anyway.

Not everyone is as generous as you.

Be giving anyway.

Not everyone is as patient as you.

Be understanding anyway.

Not everyone sees the blessings you do.

Be grateful anyway.

For in your continued and steadfast grace

you will find the seeds of strength

to take the next step,

to go the extra mile,

to be a better you

with the only applause

coming from your truly contented soul.

The only accolade you will ever truly need.

Brave

Someone shared this and it just really struck me.
These are not all 'me' things, but I see them around me.
This is simply brilliant ~ a little long, but so worth the read.

Someone recently called me “brave” for wearing a bikini to the beach because I have love handles and back fat.

To be honest I don’t actually see it as bravery.

This is just… my body.

The c-section shelf.
The bingo arms.
One boob slightly bigger than the other.
The suspiciously dark hair on my big toe.

It’s the only body available to me, so what exactly am I supposed to do when I go to the beach?
Leave it at home?

But this is what years of body shaming have done to us. They’ve convinced us not only that our bodies should look a certain way, but also that our appearance is somehow the most important thing about us.

We’re taught that our bodies are unacceptable until we finally “fix” them - usually through years of yo-yo dieting, guilt, restriction and self-torture, all lovingly sponsored by a multi-billion-dollar beauty industry that profits from our insecurity.

And because of that conditioning, we now see people as “brave” whenever they dare expose the very parts we’ve been taught to hate, hide and apologize for.

But look around you.

Those supposedly “unacceptable” parts - the wrinkles, scars, cellulite, softness, stretch marks and wobbly bits - are things almost all human beings have.

They’re not flaws.
They’re just evidence of having a body.

And a body, by the way, is so much more than what it looks like.

Personally, I’m not even a huge fan of the whole “love your body” narrative because I think it puts enormous pressure on people.

I don’t “love” my stomach any more than I love my right elbow.

I used to think about my stomach a lot more, that’s true - mostly because I’d been conditioned to - but these days I simply have far more interesting things to think about.

I don’t love my body.
I appreciate it.
I’m grateful for it.

It carries me through life. It has birthed children, survived heartbreak, held me through grief, pleasure, illness, joy and exhaustion.

It’s not good or bad.
It’s not right or wrong.

It’s literally just a body.
Like millions of other bodies.

And I’m not “brave” for showing it.

To be fair, I couldn’t really hide it even if I wanted to…

After all, it’s attached to my head 

Hard Days

A little compilation
to help you through ...

Little by little, inch by inch,

what is meant for you will come.

Sometimes,

you don't get what you want

because you deserve something better.

When you believe

you are in a dark place - 

thinking you've been buried -

perhaps, instead ...

you have been planted. 

If it comes, take it.

If it goes, let it.

Take a moment

to be proud of yourself

for all you've overcome.

Don't let 

the hard days win.

Much love, friends.