Well, this was on the bottom of my last post. You know how my mind works. I went to take a nice relaxing bath and I kept thinking about the ending and realized, that didn't end like I meant for it to. That may be my favorite thing about blogging. You can just continue, and Lord knows I'll never run out of something to say.
This was on the first part, but I think it needs to stand alone . . . and so it will!
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Sometimes I worry when I talk about memories that someone will read my words and think or say, "If you had childhood memories like mine, you wouldn't want to remember." I want to address that because I would never want to hurt or cause pain in any way. Just because I talk about what is pleasant doesn't mean it all was, but if I lay them out side by side, the good outweighs the bad by 1,000 miles.
If it were bad enough that I thought my experience could help someone with a specific situation, and I knew about it, I would lay it all out in a heartbeat. That is a negative thing about blogging. You are not always sure who you are talking to.
I have had children from shattered homes, really screwed up kids in my home. I know the stories, I've lived through some of the hell with them and I know that pain and cycle is real. I've gone the 2nd and 3rd mile, I've given unconditional love, but it wasn't enough. I will never stop loving and never stop praying for them. I've said more than once, you cannot save every one, but I do know this. They will have some good memories of their time here. When and if they have quiet moments, they will remember. Just like my grandchildren and the milkman, these kids used to ask me questions of things that were foreign to them like,"How have you stayed married to one man this long? Are you being straight with me . . . you have never smoked pot or tried any kind of drugs? Why were you late coming home? Why do you work so hard, I'd tell that boss to____." It's the cycle. But, they will remember the story books, birthday parties, the laughter, crawling in our bed when they were scared, being taken to church, the hugs, the kisses, the love! I hope to live long enough to see some of the fruits manifest in their lives in the form of peace, good choices, and a broken cycle.
If you are a parent of young children and you know you are in over your head, cry out for help. If you didn't have proper parents, it's hard to be one. You can learn to be. Ask for help. Don't stop until you get the help you need, so your child can have the memories, the life, the love, the security you didn't have. Reflect back on what it felt like when you were a little child and couldn't do anything about your circumstances, but you were scared. Remember times when you were afraid and hungry. You know what that feels like, and you vowed you would never let that happen to a child. Do better for them! Please. The situation you are in can be changed. Everybody makes mistakes. What's not acceptable is to not reach out for help! Saying you love a child is not what they will remember. Feeling secure, safe, provided for, and loved is what they remember.
God Bless America! We have lost our way and we are losing a whole generation who have sold their conscience for a pill bottle and some smoke. So many can no longer determine right from wrong and have made the drug first priority in their lives. They are affecting the next generation because they are not capable of parenting.
If you are a grandparent, please share the stories with the children. Whatever time you have them in your influence, let it be peaceful. Hold those kids on your lap, show them love, give hugs, let them hear the laughter, the songs. If you need to mend fences with their parents for that to happen, pick up the fencing tools, go where you have to go, and do whatever you have to do for the joy of being an influence in their lives. You will never regret it.
It doesn't matter who was right. It only matters that a child is alright! What's the price for being right . . . too high, if it involves a childhood. Every day that goes by is one you won't get back.
Reflect on that!
ps I hope for a happy, funny story next! It is what it is.
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