We’re all on our own journeys.
The other day I was at my home on the lake and my daughter in law was visiting with her golden retriever named, Bodie. Bodie is so sweet. He literally smiles when he sees you. He is basically perfect. His only flaw is that when no one appears to be looking, he sneaks down to my backyard and down to the lake for a quick swim. You really can’t blame the guy, after all what dog in their right mind doesn’t love a dip in the refreshing water? His parents were trying hard not to let him do this, however. The first time it happened, daddy was supposed to be watching him. This made mom upset! Dad should have been paying closer attention! Then the next time it happened, it was on mom’s watch, when she was visiting me at my house again. Then it dawned on her that it doesn’t really matter who is watching Bodie, he’s sneaky and his desire for the lake is so great, that he is going to find a way to temporarily disappear to find his promised land. When my daughter in law realized what he had done, she threw her hands up and proclaimed, “Well I guess he is on his own journey and will figure it out!” We laughed out loud and then proceeded to coax him back up to the deck so that we could dry him off and all of that when it dawned on me. These are words of wisdom coming from her lips! As a parent of adult children and now a grandma of littles, I am applying her statement to many situations during each day. When one of my children do something that maybe I would have done differently in my older age I just throw my hands up and say, “They’re on their own journey and will figure it out!” When my husband does something that I would do differently, I say, “He’s on his own journey and will figure it out!” This one statement has given me such freedom and honestly makes me giggle as I say it out loud! It’s an important reminder though. We aren’t in charge of other people or any of their choices or decisions! We are only responsible for our own. It doesn’t matter how much we want to force their hand or make them comply they are individuals and will learn and grow at their own pace. A better way to help them is to encourage, love, give them freedom, pray for them and then give them a “treat” when they’re a good boy or girl. No but seriously, we’re not in control of our children for very long. You might have some control for the first couple of years, but then they get to grow up little by little and face things in this world and choices will be made. It’s a much more fun way to live and parent, trust me!
