What are you most thankful for?

 I believe people want the best for their children from the time they say “I just want them to be healthy” and count their fingers and toes immediately after they were born.  It takes time to move on to more important matters and the thousands and thousands of decisions, big and small, that are made as the most precious part of your life grows up.  I believe most parents knock themselves, too harshly at times, for making wrong decisions, missing some event, not saving enough, etc., believing if they were perfect that their children would be too.  I’m not perfect, my parents weren’t, you’re not and my children won’t be either. That’s the reality of life.  Stop worrying about just the here and now and make the best decisions you can to help guide your children to adulthood.  Parenting is a long-term effort and worth everything you put into it.

My children took very different paths as they entered adulthood.  My son entered the work world, has started a few businesses, worked two jobs at times, and busted his butt every day.  My daughter went to college, figured out how to afford her own apartment during school, and went on to the corporate world.  She’s worked every bit as hard.  She married in her twenties and my son, in his forties, appears to finally be ready to take the plunge.  He likes big and fast cars.  She drives a hybrid.  He eats meat,  She’s a vegetarian.  He lifts weights.  She runs marathons.  As different as they are, they share a father that’s very proud of them.  They were both up to all the challenges that life threw at them and they are good, responsible, happy, and successful people.

That’s what I’m most thankful for.  More than anyone can know.


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