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In years gone by, the delivery of a baby often was greeted by a swift slap on the butt by the delivery doctor or midwife. I always thought that was a harsh and unnecessary way to greet a new life. In the years gone by, I lived through, witnessed, and was also taught that the best way to discipline a child was through "spanking" them. Do children need discipline? Absolutely, they do but there are better, and just ways of disciplining that work better and raise less anger in the child to be dealt with later as a teen. It can take a person more than half their life to recover from child abuse. Many never do, and wind up directing their lives from an angry space, no longer knowing (or remembering) what angered them in the first place.

There are many atrocities perpetrated on children, child molestation is one of the worst in my book. We either see or hear of some form of child abuse on a daily basis. It is heart wrenching. My fervent wish is that all forms of child abuse will end around the world. More parents should adhere to Kahlil Gibran's (1883-1931) words in "The Prophet."

"Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

And he said:

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."


retrieved 01/16/11 from:  http://leb.net/~mira/


Teach yourselves folks, teach your children to honor and respect their children. The World will thank you as it becomes a happier and safer place for everyone to learn, grow and love in.

Blessings,

©Patricia Lite Hickman 01/16/2011
author of Common Sense For The Soul
available through Amazon.com