ALL PARENTS DAMAGE

[Caressa2]

Excerpt: The Five People You Meet In Heaven

by Mich Albom

ALL PARENTS DAMAGE their children. It cannot be helped.

Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers.

Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.

Thought For Today:

This reminds me of the many times I have looked at my son and thought, "He had a good teacher!"

Thanks to recovery I know I did the best I could, you can't teach what you don't know, you can't express what you don't know how, and you don't have to pay for the rest of your life. It was important to come to a place of acceptance and move on and knowing, that he too has freedom of choice and a God who I hope he gets to understand one day.

[caressa]

When my son showed up he was quite polluted. I told him he stunk. He said, "I stinketh do I? To high heaven?" I said, "There is nothing heavenly about it." Then it lead to me not having the window open and I said I was cold. He said, "Don't you have a blanket?" (Later had a talk with my friend and she asked me if I needed any) I said, "Nothing that fits my bed, but don't need anything heavy my sheet is enough." He brings out the comforter for his bed and says this is clean it doesn't smell, meanwhile keep in mind he is reeking of booze. I wrinkled up my nose and said, "Toe jam!" He said, "Very funny Mother!" and left to see his girlfriend.

He has a kind heart and it hurts to see him caught up in his disease. I just have to keep loving the person under it.

[Lin]

Sorry to hear this caressa. I thought he was doing better.

We jsut have to set our boundaries when it omes to our loved ones. Decide what yu will and wont tolerate in your home. That's the best way for YOU to stay sane and serene.

LIN

[SunnyGirl]

When we have children, they don't come with any
"how to" manual or instruction booklets. It's really
a miracle that mine turned out as well as they did.
All three have good hearts and are honest, they
certainly have warts and area's that they fall short
in. Truth be known, I wouldn't trade them for all
the money in the world!!!

Because we're human, we make mistakes! When
I look back, I figure I did the best I could, with what
I had!!!!! My childhood was not horrible and the
things I remember now are all good memories. My
Dad was an alcoholic, but he never abused me in
any way. My Mom drank with him and my memories
are funny ones, not horrific tragedies....

My children are not perfect and their defects belong
to them. I have given them to God, as I know I don't
have the answers. I do the best I can each day and
that my friends is a full time job for me. With God's
help I have become a grown up and childish actions
have to be put away. So now it's time for me to step
up and take responsibility for me and my life.... ODAT

Peace on the journey, SG

[caressa]

Thanks Lin, he is just an addict being an addict. No thought for anyone but him and his girlfriend, but most of all his drugs.

My son was taught values, he was taken to Sunday School, he hated it all, he protested at 5 years old and stated he did not want to go. I do not know where the thought came from. When I remarried, he preferred my church the Gospel Hall to my ex-husband's Anglican Church. He was 8 when I remarried.

The other day I asked him what did he remember about Mom when he was growing up. He said me with my nose in a book, so some things have never changed.

He was raised with principles and values the same as I was, I just put mine aside when they got in the way of my own addiction as he does with his. It helps to have been where he is now, it doesn't hurt less, but I have a better understanding.

Attachments:

[majestyjo]

We can't know what we have never been taught. I was never taught life skills and sadly, I didn't have them to pass onto m son when he was younger.

Now he is old enough to make decisions and take responsibility for his own life.

[majestyjo]

Grateful my son is in recovery in today.