If you’ve been reading this blog for years you might pick up on the fact that I seem to write about birthdays in late February. That might have something to do with me sharing a birthday with George Washington. So here we are again, the week after Valentine’s Day and I’ve got birthdays on my mind. This year is a bit different though. Tomorrow I should be a grandpa once again!
The birth of a child always seems to be accompanied with excitement and stress. This will be my 6th grandchild and little has changed on that front. This time we have a more definite plan though. Our daughter has a scheduled birth, so we have a better idea about when and how things will progress. Still, it gives me the occasion to reflect on this whole thing called life. Watching my child move into the ranks of parent is amazing. There is a switch that gets flipped and all of a sudden, some of my parenting that was once questioned or complained about becomes more understood.
The hard part for me is to accept things the way that each new parent wants them to be. Some of my kids are germophobes and require more diligence in hand washing. Some are more laid back in their discipline than I was. They all put their own spin on being a parent, and our newest parents will be no different. It really puts the Serenity Prayer in a good perspective. My job as a parent was to raise my children to do the right things and then to gradually take my hands off the reins and let them be their own people. Now as Papa, my role is to provide love and support. The only calls that I get to make are on the phone. It’s tough at times, but I need the same qualities called for in that prayer: serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change what I can, and wisdom to know the difference. It is only by applying that that I will be able to…
–Rise Up!!
Minister Of Mocha 