Beyond these basics, your children own the right to manifest who they
want to be, even if this isn’t what you wish for them. Anything more
presumes ownership of who your children should be. Your expectations
are yours to keep and yours to know, not for your children to hold just
because they were born to you.
What are some of the things you can hope for your children? Allow me
to suggest a few:
Not that they will be a good achiever, but a good learner Not that
they will obey you, but that they will respect you Not that they will
blindly follow your dictates, but that they will seek your counsel
Not that they will be a star, but that they will master the art of being
Not that they will follow your vision, but that they will create their
own
Not that they will achieve “success,” but that they will live a life of
purpose
Not that they will find direction, but that they will find meaning
Not they will be your puppet, but that they will be your spiritual
partner
Not that they won’t experience pain, but that they will find the
means to become whole
Not that they won’t fail, but that they will find the courage to start
again
Not that they won’t hurt others, but that they will find the grace to
ask for forgiveness.