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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
Mother Knows
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Envy isn’t good, especially when the object of one’s envy is the pope. But I have to be honest, as I watched the world mourn Pope John Paul II, confident he was on his way to heaven, I was a little jealous. I mean, after hearing about the pious life he led, it’s clear that he was traveling the road to the pearly gates with a FastTrack transponder attached to his soul, while I’m stuck in traffic somewhere on the 91 Freeway during rush hour, slowly creeping toward my destination with all the other average souls. Regardless of your faith, or absence thereof, it seemed to me as though the world, for at least a moment, gave some thought to what eternity holds for us, as the media covered the pontiff’s passing. You know, the whole promise of heaven. What if the guy in that crazy rainbow-colored wig at sporting events is right as he holds up the sign with “John 3:16” written on it for TV cameras. The passage: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” That nugget, they say, sums up the whole faith thing, at least for Christians. After some soulful introspection, I thought about my children. If the quest is to think beyond this life and to strive for that heavenly reward, have I done all I can to help them to attain it? Sort of puts the science project that’s due next week into perspective, doesn’t it? Geez, between all the earthly things we have going on, we’re also supposed to be preparing them for the next life? As parents, we do everything we can to help our kids grow physically. We feed them well, make sure that they get their vaccinations and have regular checkups. We nurture their intellect by reading to them, helping them with homework and even paying tutors to help them make the grade. But what about their souls? And that excuse, the one that goes something like, “I’m waiting until they grow up so they can decide what religion they want to practice.” I think that’s a copout. Just as their bodies need nourishment, so too, does their spirituality. Bottom line is that one of these days, if it’s all true, we’re all going to realize how insignificant today’s priorities are and wish we’d have spent more time helping them develop a relationship with whatever higher power you believe in. Ponder that thought next time you’re stuck in traffic. Kimberly A. Porrazzo is senior writer for OC Family Magazine. |
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