There live a couple who are happily married and blessed with one son. Their son, Robert, has been serving the country as a soldier. Robert has been away from his family for almost 5 years because he was part of the battalion which was sent to fight in the war at Middle East. The couple misses their son so much, that they look forward to his homecoming. They are always excited to receive letters and news about their son.
But, on the fifth year of Robert’s being away from home, they haven’t heard any news and received any letters from him for the past 5 months. One fine day, a telegram arrives. The envelope says that it’s from Robert. Their eyes get bigger, their hearts beat faster, and they hurriedly open the letter. The letter says:
Dear Mom and Dad,
Hi there! How are you? I miss you so much! I’m sorry for not sending you letters for the past months. I’ve been so busy then. I have a good news for you. Finally, I will be home! Next week, I will be there. I’m so excited to see you two. Mom, please prepare my favorite dish when I get there. Dad, please prepare my car as well. I will drive and go to places. I’m so excited to be home again!
By the way, may I ask a favor from you. May I bring my friend with me when I get there. He does not have a place to stay. He was badly injured in the war. A grenade exploded near him. And so, he lost his left leg and right arm. He does not anymore sight in his left eye. I pity him because no one will take care of him anymore. And so, I invited him to live in our house. Can we take care of him? Can we welcome him and have him as part of our family? I hope that you will consider and understand this.
Thanks! See you soon! Take care always!
Robert
The couple are so surprised with what they read. They are happy because finally they son will be back. But, at the same time, they are worried because they do not know what decision they will make about the favor Robert is asking from them. After 3 days of brainstorming, discussion and consultation, they finally made a decision. They sent a letter to Robert, and the letter reads:
Robert,
Hello son! We received your letter. We are glad to know that you will be home soon. We have cleaned your room and prepared the car and the house for your arrival. We have informed all your friends and our relatives that you will be back. All of us are excited to see you.
Robert, with regard to the favor you’ve mentioned in your letter, we’re having second thoughts about it. It’s good to help your friend. In fact, we are really sorry for what happened to him. We pity him. But, we are worried about what our neighbors will say about our family if your friend will be part of the family. The entire neighborhood will always be talking about our family. They might criticize, judge and belittle us. Our reputation and the good name of our family will be affected. And we can’t take it. We are sorry to say that we can’t accept your friend. There might be other people who might take care of him. We hope that you understand.
Robert, always take care there. See you soon.
Dad and Mom
After sending this letter to Robert, they have not heard anything about Robert. Days have passed… weeks have passed…. months have passed… There are no calls, no letters, no updates about Robert…
One cold night, while they are having their dinner and watching their favorite TV show, a news flash appears at the bottom of the screen. The news says “A young soldier shoots himself…” And so, they get nervous and hastily go to the address indicated in the news. When they get there, their jaws drop, hearts pound and eyes cry. They see their son, whom they love so much, lying on the floor filled with blood, without a left leg, right arm and left eye.
Friends, what kind of love do you have for your loved ones? There are people who love others BECAUSE they are good, talented, rich, lovable, beautiful, healthy, smart and other good reasons why they love them. Their love is based on these conditions that NEED to be present always in other people. Once these conditions disappear, love subsides. This explains why there are broken relationships and marriages. Many people enter into relationships because there are nice things that they see in their beloved. When these nice things start to deteriorate, love begins to break down. This kind of love does not last.
Genuine love should be unconditional. There should be no strings attached when we love others. We should love others IN SPITE OF their flaws, weaknesses and shortcomings. No problems, no challenges, no negative traits, nothing can stop us from loving others. Only UNCONDITIONAL LOVE lasts. It transcends and conquers all. Are you ready to love unconditionally? If yes, go on! If no, don’t enter into a relationship yet.
Hello! I would like to greet all mothers out there a HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY! This is a special day and a great opportunity for us to express our love and say thank you to our mothers who have been by our side through thick and thin. We thank you in a very special way for the sleepless night you had in taking care of us when were still small, for your patience for all our shortcomings, for understanding our weaknesses, and above all, for your unconditional love for us. This inspirational video is specially dedicated to you!
I believe that words are not sufficient to express how blessed, happy and grateful we are for God’s greatest gifts, our mothers. May these heartwarming messages make you feel that you’re the most special person in our lives for you occupy a very special place in our hearts.
Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.
The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.
The mother’s heart is the child’s schoolroom.
Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.
That best academy, a mother’s knee.
A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.
Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.
Nobody knows of the work it makes
To keep the home together.
Nobody knows of the steps it takes,
Nobody knows-but Mother.
There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.
When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you – life
A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.
A mother understands what a child does not say.
The mother loves her child most divinely, not when she surrounds him with comfort and anticipates his wants, but when she resolutely holds him to the highest standards and is content with nothing less than his best.
Once again, we say thank you and we love you to all the mothers. Nothing can be compared with the selfless love you have for your children. May you will forever be blessed and be a blessing to your children. HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY! You’re the greatest thing that God created. You’re God’s greatest gift to the humankind!
Are you looking for a special and great gift for your mom? Are you looking for a gift that she will really like? Are you looking for a gift that she will really use and appreciate? Check out this great product! Your mom deserve a treat! Your mom deserves the best! Treat her this Mothers’ Day! Here it is! Tamanu Oil is an amazing traditional Melanesian skin care treatment used for centuries in Vanuatu and Tahiti. This ‘miracle oil’ can be used on almost any skin ailment with incredible results. Tamanu Oil has the extraordinary ability to promote the regeneration of new tissue, encouraging rapid repair and the development of healthy skin. Pure Tamanu Oil is a natural South Pacific skin product that is amazingly effective for many skin conditions. This handy little roll-on dispenser is compact enough to take to work in a small purse, handbag or in shirt pocket. http://thegreatestbuy.com.au/tamanu-show-p-606.html
People change and with that so do relationships change over the years. The only relationship that remains constant and where there are no equations is that of a parent-child. It is pure and blissful and the bond only grows with the years. Yes, I do agree that it is a great responsibility too, where there are good days and bad days. I think this ancient African adage “It takes a village to raise a child” sums up parenthood very well. We build a network of family and friends and neighbors as a part of our community. This community supports our efforts in raising our family.
As parents we do make a lot of adjustments and compromises and work towards providing for and taking care of our children. But, the fruitful joys of parenthood make the pains worth going through. After a long, stressful day at work the only thing that I look forward to and that brings a smile to my face is seeing my son. Without sounding too dramatic, I would say that all the day’s problems and worries become trivial when I see my son; it’s like all my issues just melt away. I always feel that children are a blessing and a joy to have. Having a child has given me a purpose and direction in life. I am motivated to live my life and fulfill my duties as a parent.
Just like in any relationship, there are disagreements and differences between a parent and child, but at the end of the day both know that they love each other. No matter how upset I am with my son, I always make it a point to tell him, “I maybe angry with you and yell at you. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love you. I love you a lot.” Reassurance makes a child feel secure, loved and wanted. All the innocence, hugs and kisses is what we will remember, even after our children grow up. The moments we spend with our children are the most memorable and will not come back, because even before you know it they’re all grown up.
You must be wondering what the purpose of this post is. I wanted to write something positive and encouraging for parents, who make so many sacrifices to bring up their children. We sometimes may not be considered the best qualified people for parenthood, but we do our best to provide and support our children and that makes each one of us the best parents.
Men are usually faced with a conflicting situation – To provide for the wife and child(ren) a man has to work, sometimes long hours, and in doing so they miss out on spending time with their family. So, should they work more and make more money to provide or work less and make less money to spend time with the family? It’s a tough challenge to strike a balance between the two. Balancing this is the crux of keeping the family as one unit and ensuring everybody’s happiness.
Through all my years of living with my parents I remember the Golden Rule set by my father – ‘No matter where you go or what you do during the day, be home for dinner’. Dinner was considered an exclusive family time in my house. And, my father rarely broke the rule and rarely allowed us to break this rule. That was a time when we would all get together and catch up with each other, and unwind the day’s happenings. There were days when we’d be rolling on the floor with laughter or when we’d be upset with each other over something or when nothing eventful would happen; however that was our pristine family time. That was the time when my father was balancing his role as the husband and father – knowing what’s happening in his wife’s and children’s lives, understanding their needs, giving undivided attention and building lasting memories. I still look back with fond memories of those days and wonder if people still believe in such activities.
Setting priorities is very important when it comes to balancing conflicting interests. While it’s important to fulfill your duties at work, it is equally important to fulfill your duties as a husband and father.
Set an exclusive time for the family, when you can unwind your day and catch up with your family. Divide and plan your activities between activities for the whole family and things that you can do exclusively with your wife. You don’t have to plan anything big. Maybe you can have something like a game night on one day of the week, when the whole family can get together and play some games. With your wife, maybe you could have a lunch date day if feasible.
Offer to take turns with your wife for the pickups and drop-offs. Your wife shouldn’t be the only one that takes your children to their school/classes/play dates. Offer to do that job sometimes, this would not only give your wife a much needed break, but help you connect with your children and know more about their activities.
Be the anchor for your family. Even if you don’t understand why they are upset be supportive of them when they are upset. You can rationalize later, when everyone calms down.
Everyone likes surprises. So, make room for some occasional surprises. Be the “Neighbor’s envy and Family’s pride”.
Being a parent is a great joy and with that comes great responsibility to ensure that our upbringing is not lacking and helps our children blossom into good individuals. It’s a very tough balance to maintain between over involving, being overprotective and over indulging to being actively involved, protecting and providing. Father is the first interface to the male world for a daughter. Having a healthy relationship with your daughter will help mould her into a confident, strong woman, who can make the right choices in life, especially men. Here are a few things you could do to nourish the wonderful relationship with your daughter:
1) Be progressive in your thinking and the way you deal with your daughter. You cannot always treat her as a child. Make your daughter feel respected and treat her according to her age. She is not always going to be your little princess. Let her grow and feel like the woman she can and wants to be.
2) Be open in your conversations with your daughter. Don’t just hear, try to understand and listen to what she has to say. Don’t use harsh words; rationalize with her when you disagree with her choices or actions. Harsh words tend to make a lasting impression on a child and may harm her self-confidence.
3) Guide her and help her make sensible decisions, but also give her independence. Don’t try to impose your opinions.
4) Set a good example for your daughter. Treat your daughter’s mother well, whether you are together or not. You cannot show double standards in your treatment of her mother or other women in your life. Your daughter should know that you respect women.
5) Don’t hesitate from showing affection and expressing your love for your daughter. Knowing that she is loved will give her a sense of security and help her build healthy relationships.
6) Play an active role and encourage your daughter in all her endeavors. Resist the temptation to over involve.
7) Discipline her when the need arises and be reasonable when setting boundaries. You can’t control what she is exposed to outside your home, but you can teach her how to handle the outside world.
Values do not change with time; we should always hold onto them and pass them onto the next generation succeeding us. But, the way the values are passed on changes with time and people. Make it a relationship that your daughter can cherish for the rest of her life.
There live a couple who are happily married and blessed with one son. Their son, Robert, has been serving the country as a soldier. Robert has been away from his family for almost 5 years because he was part of the battalion which was sent to fight in the war at Middle East. The couple misses their son so much, that they look forward to his homecoming. They are always excited to receive letters and news about their son.
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