PARENTING

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Parenting, in a broad view, is loving the vulnerable. It goes beyond children fathering or mothering. It is passionately learning, honorably serving, meaningfully mentoring, adventurously exploring, really relating , joyfully playing, proudly protecting, charitably contributing, and trustingly transferring - all in each, our unique way. Respectably parenting embodies, like little else, all the activities of SCG (Self-Realizing, Connecting, Giving).

I once thought success was having a large family - ten children, like my parents. What was I thinking - the cost, suffering, self abuse! I did eventually learn, though, that “it is in the giving that we receive”. And, caring for others, particularly the young and vulnerable, is a big deal in life.

My brother Richard exemplified parenting the vulnerable, being a renown advocate for the sexually abused by catholic clergy. I won’t be surprised if his legacy includes credit for playing a meaningful role in redirecting the Catholic Institution in a more healthy direction.

His passing will be one year August 8th. I am honored to participate in his final book of self-revealing poems - SMELL THE ROSES, available now, at www.friesenpress.com, coincident with the one year commemoration.

Parenting

Single Pond