"My son" - two words which still feel unfamiliar when I say them out loud ! My son is almost 3 months old now and I am still in awe of the privilege that has been granted to me.. I am also a little apprehensive when I realize the immense responsibility that comes with this privilege..
It is no small feat to be completely responsible for raising a child..
Will I be a good mother ? Will I be able to raise my child such that he becomes a good citizen of the world ? More importantly, will I be able to raise him such that he is able to lead a happy and content life ?
Will I be able to teach him to avoid the mistakes that I made ? To overcome the shortcomings that I have ?
I guess only time will give me the answer to these questions...
Other parents out there will agree with me when I say that we have a lot of dreams about out childrens' futures, we sometimes start planning them even before they are born ! But, face the truth, a child is going to enjoy pressure as much as we did, back when we were children !!
So, I guess, parenting is like walking on thin ice, walking a tightrope...you get the picture..
We cant burden the little ones with our expectations and dreams, however,
we have to be there to show them the wonders of this life and fuel their dreams and ambitions ...
If I were to indulge in a cliche, I would say that we need to show them the door and then let them open it and
walk through it by themselves ;-) !!
As all these myriad thoughts go on in my mind, I am reminded of Kahlil Gibran's musings on children :
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Very thought provoking, isnt it ?
Well, while you sort out whether you are a stable bow or not, I will go and enjoy my baby's gurgles and giggles..
I will revel in his smiles, be comforted when he nestles in the crook of my neck and heave a sigh of relief when he sleeps peacefully there ..
Ah...what can I say....its bliss ...having him in my arms...my son !
