Isn't it something that we all mothers struggle to ensure - trying to balance our prayers to protect our children at the same time toughen them to face the innumerable challenges that they are bound to face in this life time. This is how a mother writes a letter to life, asking her to teach her children her ways. (An article I read...)
Dear Life,
On behalf of all the mothers, dear Life, I ask you to take our children gently to the shores that we all must reach. Let the waves not toss them about and the rocks not stop their progress. Teach them all that they must learn, but let these lessons come through kind words and nurturing experiences.
Teach them that you, dear Life, can be tough teacher but that there is a purpose to your power, and the secret lies in unveiling that purpose, so that the beauty of your face can be seen. Teach that the human race is seemless and that there lies no boundaries and distinctions between man and a man. Teach my daughter that each time she places that sacred thread on her brother's wrist, she takes into her embrace all humanity. Teach my son that as he promises love and protection to my sister, he does so to all women. Teach them that dignity and honor are not the bastions of men alone, but the rights that you bestow upon all humanity.
Teach our children to look into the eyes of others so that they respond to truth of the soul, rather than react to the falsehood of appearance. Shower them with your cornucopia of gifts so that they learn that joys can be multipled only by dividing them amongst all. When the harsh winds blow, teach them to sway in their divine power, so that they become yielding like the elm, while standing strong like the oak.
As the world throws up challenges for our children, dear Life, we feel our hearts being clutched by icy hands. Though you cannot keep the storms away, you can always teach them how to find shelter within themselves, so that they learn that the surest way to battle a storm is to wait it out within the silence of the heart. Do not let them suffer the mistakes we have made, and allow not our selfishness to become their burdens.
Teach them to respect and honour earth mother upon whose breast we suckle every day. Give them ears to hear her cries and the hands to wipe her tears. Teach them self pride is not self absorption, and selflessness far from self denial.
When they err and fall upon their chose paths, lift them up tenderly, oh Life, so that they learn there is no shame in failure, and a successful man is one who lends his wings for others to take flight. Teach them to value the tributes of humanity more than gold and silver trophies, so that praise is not selfishly hoarded and criticisms not freely given away.
All of this you must do, dear teacher, so that when they reach those distant shores the bells peal to welcome home the returning hero".
