Jan.20-22

Two days...trying to put two days into one post--I have been thinking a lot and pondering various personal thoughts, but I am going to be succint, or at least focus on keeping my thoughts brief.

I like to think that we are all cartographers in the world and uncertain ones at that.
Reading the maps that we design for our lives, getting caught in the shoals, being tossed and turned. Sometimes seemingly floating forever going nowhere, watching the horizon but never getting any closer to it.

Isn't parenting like that?

Question: Are children happier within the construct and contexts of family life when the parents are happy and feeling fulfilled and actualized? Is it true? Do the children see that accountability, ownership and deep sense of joy and consciously or subconsciously absorb it as well?

For me and my life with my wife and babies, I think so 100%--we live the questions adn answers of it daily, but what do you think moms and dads, or any friend or reader out there.

When I look at my map and see it smeared with kids' food, scratched out crayon questions, re-tracings of my steps I am reminded of earlier posts and earlier revelations that you won't get everything right along the way--you will barely come close on a daily basis, but you can do a lot of things well and set your sails to catch the most favorable wind as you plot out how to raise your kids and why you want to raise them in the manner that you do.

At times however, I certainly feel I know every breaker and wave, every minute pull of the wind and rudder, but often I am not sure what instrument to use and so I make it up and see how it plays out. Foundering at times, but so far, after 11 years of so, coming out above water, a bit waterlogged and gasping at times, but loving the sweet oxygen and rush I get from all of them, from life, from the adventure.


How do you do it?
What mistakes do you make? Do you feel, as I, that they are things to be celebrated or things to avoid?

What's your compass?


Zen Daddy