When I think most about what I want for these girls as they grow up, second only to a desire that they be happy and deeply fulfilled, is my wish that they grow up to be kind. I hope they will be loving and generous toward all people regardless of identity, orientation, color, abilities or any other factor. I want them to see the inherent worth in each individual they encounter and to do their part to help uphold the worth and dignity of every person in the world. If they can one day be described as kind and generous women then I will feel that I have done my job as a parent. —
Tonight we took them to the #nocopride vigil for #pulseorlando. Over the winter, we took them to a vigil at the Islamic Center of Fort Collins. We strive to show them communities of love and support and hope in what can feel like a gray world. We have found a community in the @unitarian_universalist church which echoes our values, and enrolled them in schools that also value community and generosity.
Surrounding ourselves with love is part of teaching the value of kindness, but more than anything, I think this teaching of kindness comes not from outside our home, but within.
Parenting my girls and living a life I would be proud to have them watch (even replicate), has made me a better person. The example I want to set for them controls how I respond when someone cuts me off while driving or does something I don’t like. It’s what encourages me to buy an extra meal to give to a man on the street corner or to speak up in moments when I might otherwise be silent. Knowing they are watching me sets the tone for how I handle disagreements or challenges in my marriage and work.
This is the greatest gift of motherhood: finding greater self purpose and becoming the best version of oneself through parenting.
