What are we teaching our kids?

... something I've been pondering about for a few days (and off-and-on since the birth of our daughter) ... what does the world look like from her perspective?  What does she see when I do the things I do (or not do the things I don't!) - how does she process information?  How does she think about emulating?  The list of questions goes on... one particular item that I really wonder about is how our kids process a parent's constant and incessant "busy-ness".  In modern-day society, I find that parents are burdened (or choose to) take on everything - work, home, social commitments etc. mean a jam-packed schedule and non-stop activity ... and all the kid likely sees is a blur of motion - seeing their parents and other adults rush through life at warp speed - stuck in a never-ending work-home-cook-clean-drive-attend cycle.  Parents/adults having to do it all (or choosing to do it all) - work, cook, clean, take care of the yard, take care of the kids etc. etc. - and I really wonder if the kids start to accept this non-stop motion as "normal" and acceptable ... and then they grow up and emulate what they saw as children and get stuck in the same rut?  Pretty much everyone I know who is busy (or chooses to be busy) complains about "how busy they are?", "how overwhelmed they are?", "how stuck they are?" and I really worry about the role model we're setting for future generations.  If being busy is the new normal, where is the time for the simple pleasures of life?  where is the time for true human connection?  where is the time for reflection?  where is the time for personal growth?  where is the time for pursuing a hobby?  I can't answer those questions for anyone other than myself and as a near full-time dad for the last 18 months, it has been amazing to have the ability to pause and truly be in the moment - the joy of watching our daughter grow up, the joy of being connected with her, the joy of doing what we'd like to when we'd like to instead of being tethered to the hands of the clock - it has been a mind-boggling blessing!  I hope that our daughter is learning that the "slow" pace of life is as much a viable option as the "rushed" pace of life is!  Time is all we have and by honoring it and following our heart and intuition instead of the human-invented clock can be an absolutely amazing journey!  So free up your calendar, say no to social commitments, stop to smell the flowers and go w/ the flow instead of scheduling every last minute of time available to you!  You're a human be-ing, not a human do-ing!

Leaving home...

Was feeling morbid a few days ago and penned the following...

"Leaving home..."

What will you do when death comes knocking?

Will you man up and go smiling
Or will you go meekly with a whimper?

Will you leave with regrets and promises unkept?
Or will you leave with contentment in your heart?

Will you leave with resolutions unmet?
Or will you leave with all dreams chased?

Will you leave with a life that promised but didn't quite deliver?
Or will you leave having eked out every last drop of juice from the magnificent fruit that life is?

Will you leave with unexpressed love?
Or will you leave with the true depths of your love known to all?

Will you leave with friendships abandoned?
Or will you leave with friendships thriving?

Will you leave with a lot of money?
Or will you leave with a lot of experiences?

Will you leave with unforgiven grudges?
Or will you leave with a heart full of forgiveness?

Will you leave behind nothing but material possessions?
Or will you leave with a legacy that truly outlives you?

Will you leave without having asked for forgiveness?
Or will you leave having atoned for your sins?

Will you leave with the regret of what could've been?
Or will you leave with the comfort of having always given it your all?

What will you do when death comes knocking?