We have a guest contributor today. This was written by my mom 51 years ago in her journal, lovingly transcribed and forwarded by loyal reader, and coincidentally, also my sister, Laurie:
Monday, May 17, 1965:
I believe there is a possible story in a woman or woman and man who are trying to prepare their children for adulthood. And with this difference: we all are doing this of course, but we are preparing them for the adult world that we know, not the world which will be in 20 years. This woman and man of my story are like Paul and me who have a complete life in each other and in their own quiet interests. Meeting people and having to get along with people is difficult for them. But their children’s world will be crowded. Their children must get along with people they meet. And they must learn how to obtain solitude while among people. Maybe the Friends meeting house is an example of how this is done.
So many truths in those wise words of yesteryear. This was truly prescient:
But their children’s world will be crowded.
How did she know?! I am frequently struck when reading Laurie's daily transcriptions, of how simple life seemed back then. It probably didn't seem simple to them, so maybe that's how they knew, but that doesn't seem to be what her prediction was based on.
And this is brilliant too:
Their children must get along with people they meet. And they must learn how to obtain solitude while among people.
These are both daily goals and challenges for me - getting along with people who annoy me, as sadly, I am way too easily annoyed, and of course finding solitude.
I just gotta start meditating. As soon as I find a time and place where I can have some solitude.
As a wise man once said, "Quiet is internal."
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice excerpt to share; I loved her observation and had never thought of it that way before, how we think we're preparing our kids for their adult lives, but we have no clue at the time what that world would be. I also love that we're learning from our mom all these years after she wrote her words, and 7 years after she left us. I think that would make her very happy.
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