My kids know me too well. A lifetime of growing up with a protective, way-conservative mother has conditioned my kids to sort of protect ME from life. They know I would prefer a world where only kind words are spoken, especially to children, everyone goes to church every Sunday, and no one takes unhealthy risks physically, spiritually, or emotionally. I am naive, always have been. That doesn't mean stupid, or clueless. I have a healthy dose of suspicion but that doesn't mean my probing questions are always answered truthfully. I want to think the best of the people I care about and that includes my kids and the kids they pal around with. My bubble has been burst on numerous occasions. It pains me to know that their language is peppered with majorly offensive four-letter-words. (Not around me mind you.) It pains me to know that once again, it is way-cool to smoke. It pains me to know that yes, alchohol and drugs cross their paths. And don't even ask me about sex. They know where I stand there. I've taught them since they were little to respect themselves and to value the gift of life. Marriage is sacred and intimacy is a great responsibility. (If they only knew what pains I've taken to be true to those values.)
They are more or less grown ups now. Willl they take all that I have given them and toss it aside, or take it to heart? That is the question that every parent asks themselves. I take pride believing that I have raised competent, intelligent, decent human beings. But of all of the things I've dreamed for my children, the one most important to me is the decent part. I want my kids to respect themselves and others as well. I want them to look at the world and people critically as well as lovingly. You can do both. In this anything goes world where the mere mention of the world judgemental sends people into a tizzy, I say we must be judgemental. If we're not, we have no standards and all behaviors and actions are equal. NO WAY. As my ethics guru Dennis Prager states, (and I paraphrase) "you can judge the actions/behaviours, you cannot judge a persons motives." But make no mistake, you will be judged, just not by me, or anyone else for that matter. We all however will face the Ultimate Judge.
So when I start ranting about offensive movies, tv, or song lyrics my kids automatically know exactly where I'm going. They have heard it a million times and would rather not hear it again. I just can't help myself. Our culture is rotting away and our kids have been immersed in it for so long that they are desensitized. I just pray that the contribution that my children make to this world will lift it up. I pray that our world will be a little bit better because they were in it. When it comes to using their God given talents in this world I tell them "Use Your POWERS for GOOD"!
