Oh, the joys of raising kids -- a "hair-raising" experience, don't you think? It's kind of like riding one of those really bad roller-coasters, like the Texas Cyclone. I've mustered the courage to get on that particular roller-coaster a couple of times in my adult life, and I came off reeling from the experience -- "What was that? What did I just do? That was insane!" That's pretty much the way it is while you're raising your kids. When you're in the middle of it -- there is simply no end in sight. It seems it will last forever, that you're making no headway and that your instruction and guidance goes completely unheeded. But finally the end does come -- you get your feet back on the ground -- the kids aren't complete imbeciles and you realize that you survived the whole ordeal (some people actually get back in line to do it all again, if you know what I mean)!
The terrible two's and the atrocious teens will nearly suck the life out of a person if you don't understand that all your efforts will one day pay off. Sometime it feels like you're dropping handfuls of quarters into a piggy bank with no bottom. Frustrating, trying, nerve-wracking, dreadful, revolting -- words are simply inadequate to describe the feelings we sometimes experience as parents. But our efforts do pay off!
In the Far East the people plant a tree called the Chinese bamboo. During the first four years they water and fertilize the plant with seemingly little or no results. Then the fifth year they again apply water and fertilizer – and in five weeks’ time the tree grows ninety feet in height! The obvious question is: did the Chinese bamboo tree grow ninety feet in five weeks, or did it grow ninety feet in five years? The answer is: it grew ninety feet in five years. Because if at any time during those five years the people had stopped watering and fertilizing the tree, it would have died!
Keep feeding your bambinos and keep watering your bamboos! Ultimately, all your efforts will pay off!
P.S. Click the link below and take a look at the Texas Cyclone!
1 comment:
so good... I needed to hear this.
Jill & I are right in the middle of those terrible 2's.
helps to hear from someone we respect, that it'll all mean something one day. :-)
PS - I didn't realize you had a blog!! so glad to find it...gonna enjoy reading all of this.
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