Children Will Learn

In honor of my mother and for all mothers everywhere, I dedicate this poem and my blog.

2012 Sister  Kathy Hoiness, me, friend  Lois Cole and Mom

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

"If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live."

This week as we are honoring mothers, let's see each one in the highest light. Some of my readers will have been raised by wise, saintly women. Others will have not. But no matter how wise or foolish our mothers were, they gave us the gift f life. What we make of it, is now up to us. Let's know that they have done the best they could given where they came from, what they lived through and their perceptions about life. If they had known better, they could have done better.

Let us see ourselves and all of our relations through the prism of loving kindness and forgiveness.

May this mother's day be filled with kindness and love. 

Niece Heather, sister Kathy, Mom and me New Year's Eve