One of my things that I constantly ask myself is "am I living life to my fullest?". Like all of us, I have my share of doubts as to whether or not I am living life to its fullest and during those times when I know I am not living life to its maximum, I explore what it is that holds me back.
About a year ago, I became familiar with the following song by the fabulous group Point of Grace (http://www.pointofgrace.net/index.html). The title song has an incredibly powerful video that I want to share with you. I'm sure you will find it as moving as I did and perhaps may encourage you to live a live of "no limits".
The video can be found here.
By the same token, many of us have experienced excitement and heartbreak in our own youth or while experiencing the youth of our children.
Many of us have also witnessed (and in some cases experienced) the pain of being left out or discarded as we became stereotyped in one form of another. What many people don't realize is how we cripple people's futures by stereotyping them early or by forcing them to adapt to what we believe their strengths "should be". Perhaps you are one of those people who was told you didn't fit into the "definition of normal" and thus you were forced to change to fit someone else's definition of ideal.
Many years ago, a short story named "Animal School" was written that compared many of the children that we consider troublemakers to different types of animals. The story of different animals attempting to learn in "Animal School" is a powerful one that forces us to reconsider why each child is a unique gift and miracle and how they must be cherished and not be forced to change.
The most powerful presentation of this story can be found here. It is hosted by Raising Small Souls (http://www.raisingsmallsouls.com). Take a moment to watch this video and check out the web site. The web site contains a lot of powerful, supporting material to help all of us be better parents (and perhaps help us understand the childhood we experienced).
As you watch the video, I wonder how many of you will find yourself associating certain people in your past (or your present) with different animals in the video.
To your success as parents.
In service and servanthood.
Harry
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