Thankful Prayer

When the kids were small, I thought it was important for them to take a moment before dinner and say a prayer. I was familiar with the traditional Catholic prayer said before meals:

Bless us, Oh Lord,
and these thy gifts which
we are about to receive from thy bounty,
through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.

However, as nice as this prayer is, it always struck me as a prayer being said, because that is what you are suppose to say before you eat, and little thought was given as the prayer was recited. I wanted the kids to identify with the words they would say, and understand prayer is also a time to take a moment to reflect and be thankful. I searched for awhile, for the prayer I thought was an easy one to remember, and had meaning to children. The prayer I found is:

Thanks for food that helps us grow,
For family and friends we know.
Thanks for all the world we see.
Thank you God, for loving me.

I am unsure sure who to credit the prayer to, as I have done multiple Internet searches and have been unable to find the prayer on line. Someday I will find the piece of paper where I wrote the prayer down, and give credit where credit is due. However, for some reason, I thought it was written by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

As the kids have grown, this is the prayer we always say when we sit down to dinner. Although, it is sometimes difficult to always eat as a family because of activities, when we do sit down together and hold hands while saying our prayer, it is comforting to know my children are thankful.

Popcorn, Pretzels, Jelly Beans and Buttered Toast

Not sure how it started. Maybe the kids were laughing while watching Snoopy make buttered toast, but something caused us to adopt a rather odd tradition.

Every year we watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (TV 1973). It is a story about how Peppermint Patty invites herself to Charlie Brown's house for Thanksgiving dinner, and Charlie Brown, unable to cook a meal himself, enables the help of Snoopy, Woodstock and Linus.

Unable to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, the group prepares pretzels, jelly beans, popcorn and buttered toast. Of course, Peppermint Patty is outraged and disappointed for the lack of a traditional feast, but after being gently reminded by Marcie they are guests who imposed on Charlie Brown, she apologizes.

Mid-morning on Thanksgiving Day, we celebrate with the same feast. I think the silly things we do together are the traditions they will remember for the rest of their lives. I would like to think someday the unusual common bond they have, will be something they share with their families on Thanksgiving Day. I wonder if it will be Madeline, Andrew or Benjamin who turns to their siblings and asks,"Where did Mom come up with this stuff?"

Forever Young

My blog would be incomplete if I didn't include the lyrics to this song.

Forever Young
May the good Lord be with you
Down every road that you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you're far from home
And may you grow to be proud, dignified and true
And do unto others as you'd have done to you

Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young

May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to Heaven
With a prince or a vagabond

And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young, yeah

And when you finally fly away
I'll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell

But whatever road you choose
I'm right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young

Songwriters: Cregan, Jim; Stewart, Rod; Savigar, Kevin; Dylan, Bob
© WB MUSIC CORP

High School Siblings

Last week, one of Andrew's teachers shared an observation with me.

Madeline and Andrew are two years apart, she is a junior and he is a freshman at the same high school. The teacher told me when she was in high school and her sisters were at the same school, she avoided them and cringed when she saw them in the hallway at school.

The teacher went on to explain that when Madeline was one of her students as a freshman in Honors English, and as a sophomore in American Studies, she noticed how Madeline always spoke very highly of her family and her brothers. When she learned that Andrew would be in her freshman Honors English course this year, she was curious to see how he would speak of his sister and how they would interact with each other in high school.

Now that she sees first hand the relationship between Madeline and Andrew, the teacher wanted me to know she "is to the point of being jealous" and wishes she and her siblings had a similar relationship. She admires how supportive they are of each other, and whenever she has seen them interact together, the genuine relationship they share is touching.

Of course, they have their disagreements, although I admit, there have been only a few of them. I am just proud of the mutual respect they have for each other.

Truth

Things are seldom what they seem, skim milk masquerades as cream.

-W. S. Gilbert

Watching the Fish

I am not exactly sure where this photograph was taken, but based on the date, I think I was around four years old. When I looked at the photograph, I had vivid memories of my parents taking my sister and I fishing.

I remembered my parents talking about how my mom would bait the hook, and my dad would take the fish off the hook, but neither was willing to do the other task.

I had a memory of a wood dock and I was lying on my tummy, peering into the clear water, watching the fish swim amongst the green, wavy weeds.

And then a different memory came to me, I was alone on a dock and I wanted so badly to bait my own hook. I tipped the worm container, and a worm fell out onto the dock. I remember holding the hook and thinking how proud my parents would be of me, if I baited the hook and caught a fish on my own.

I took the hook, and tried without actually touching the worm, to stab the worm and bait the hook. I couldn't do it. I remember feeling torn between wanting to bait the hook, and surprise my parents, and not wanting to hurt the worm.

I scooped the worm back into the container. I couldn't bear to hurt it.

Looking back, it only makes sense that I would rather watch the fish swimming peacefully in the lake.

Fate

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

~Steve Jobs