Our children
All of our wee ones live in Vancouver.
And although it breaks my heart a little every time I dwell on the many moments I’ve missed in their lives this past year I feel incredibly blessed to live in a day and age where we can communicate in an instant through our various technologies.
And to brag a little….I am so proud of how my children are raising their children.
I watch from afar as one of them learns to walk. I see one of our newest boys giggle for the first time. One of the ‘big’ boys has currently decided he wants to be a toy maker when he grows up and is inventing new toys daily.
Another couple of cuties love bouncing on their indoor trampoline as much as they love drawing and creating new worlds. And yet another wee one loves dressing up in costumes with his big brother and putting on plays. All will be bilingual and well rounded individuals.
But the thing that impresses me the most about my family is their love for each other and the world. My own children have huge hearts for family and the world in which they live and are doing their best to raise their own families with love and respect for others and the environment.
When I open the newspaper daily it is distressing to read about the many broken people who hurt others. I’m sure that they have been hurt themselves at some point.
Abuse in families is rising as shown in an article in the New York Times with this headline :
“A NEW COVID-19 CRISIS : DOMESTIC ABUSE RISES WORLDWIDE !”
Movement restrictions aimed to stop the spread of the coronavirus may be making violence in homes more frequent, more severe and more dangerous.
As most of us know there are many underlying factors which contribute to domestic violence and it seems pat to say, “ We just need to love more”. Mental illness, drug/alcohol abuse, exhaustion, poverty to name but a few reasons that can lead to abuse.
That said I do believe that our world can learn from this time of isolation. I pray for the family. I pray for love and peace to fill our homes and hearts.
Let’s pray for each other and trust God in this stressful time.
And let’s try and raise our children to become strong, loving adults who care deeply for each other and the world.
I think about the song , “We Are The World” ….
There comes a time
When we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can't go on
Pretending day-by-day
That someone, somewhere soon make a change
We're all a part of God's great big family
And the truth, you know, love is all we need
We are the world
We are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day, so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day, just you and me
Oh, send them your heart
So they know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand
We are the world
Peace, friends.