Friday, September 05, 2003
My hopes and aspirations for the lives of my children's children.
Standing on the threshold of the future,swaying precariously over the edge of a cliff of the present millennium, i gaze into a world too wild and wonderful for my limited ability to comprehend,and try to quiet my over-excited heart.I take the time to sit and dream of the world which lies before me, the world of my children's children, the world which will be in the coming millennium.
I dream of a future when people will say "Love makes the world go round", i dream of a reality where people will not label me as an idealistic hippie when i say that. True, it sounds cliche, but that is what i want for the lives of my children's children. I wish that their every action will be motivated by love, love for God who created them, love for the family which raised them , love for friends around them , love for the world they live in. Even as the advancement of technology marches on relentlessly, it will not snatch away the personal human touch which means so much.
In this age of violence and immorality,such a dream may seem hopelessly unattainable, but yet there is hope. Beginning with the love for God, if only the whole world were to abide by their creator's rules, there would hardly be any strife in this world. The only problem with that perfect solution though, is that the words"if only" encompass a bottomless pit of unfulfilled wishes,a hungry void of vain desire. Such a perfect scenario can hardly be expected, but as long as there is one who dares to stand up for what he or she believes in, it can make a difference.If my dream were to be fulfilled in the not-so-distant future, and my grandchildren were to teach their children to love their creator and obey him, and they in turn were to teach their offspring,then this love for God would run strong in the blood of the generations after me, and grow stronger with each generation.These descendants would one day be of a sufficient number to make a sizeable impact on this world, so as in can be clearly seen, huge possibilities can stem from this little daydream of mine, if only.
Expanding from the love of God to the love for family,would this not be the perfect balm to ease the world of its troubles with dysfunctional families,rebellious children and emotionally-scarred individuals? If my grandchildren were to be wonderful homemakers, with respect for their elders and boundless patience and tender nurturing care for the little ones, I would be more than satisfied.Nevermind if the future were to hurl all its unforseen barbs like economic troubles and world wars,my grandchildren would be able to take comfort in love and support from at least the family unit.
Friends. Would they not be considered as part of the extended family too? After all, they do play a major role in a person's life. They are there to pull you from the depths of depression when you feel you do not have the energy to labour on, they are sometimes your only source of comfort when family is far away. Thus, love for friends is extended almost naturally and unconditionally, much like how a family should treat one another . I hope that the lives of my grandchildren will be filled with the laughter and tears of many friendships, may their lives be thus enriched, and their souls nourished.
Finally, the last important aspect of love is wish for my grandchildren to have in the new millennium is the love for oneself. In the hustle and bustle of daily life, people tend to rush around trying to win in the never-ending ratrace, only to forget what they are striving for in the end. I feel it is important for them to always remember what it is they want out of life, and to never lose touch with themselves. I wish for them to be spared the fate which befalls so many people today, people who almost kill themselves trying to please others, yet never being able to please themselves.
If all my dreams were to be fulfilled, the i would dare to dream more. Seeing then that as my grandchildren's core values and inner selves would be secure, I would then be free to muse more on the achievements they would be able to accomplish. After all, once the heart has been set right, the head and hands are free to create and innovate. I wish that the lives of my grandchildren will be aided by the advancement of technology and not hindered by it. On a daily basis, more efficient equipment and a larger flow of information technology would enable their work to be made easier and more productive, resulting in a greater sense of personal achievement and progress for the world's economy, to look at it on a larger scale. On a personal level, more efficient communication devices and better infrastructure would enable my family members to keep in touch with each other regardless of geographical distance , very much in the way electronic mail today allows anxious mothers to keep tabs on their children studying overseas.
In short, my wish for my grandchildren's lives is that they be happy and healthy ones, no different from the wish of every grandparent. The fact that they will grow up in a different millennium from the one i grew up in should not affect this in a negative way,at least, i hope not. Theirs should be more exciting, fast-paced childhood than mine, yet i hope that during their childhood days, there will still be playgrounds and open spaces for them to run and laugh in, and swings for them to sit on and feel the wind whipping their hair from their faces as the downward swoop sends thrills of joy up their backs. Some things, should never change.
My last wish, and perhaps most insignificant of all my wishes for my grandchildren's lives, is that i will still be alive and well for them to come and listen to me tell stories about the past, and as they grow up, have them tell me stories about the future. I would love to see their reactions when i tell them about the hopes and aspirations i had for them when i was but a sixteen-year-old, standing on the threshold of a new millennium.
this wasn't written by me. i'd NEVER be able to write like that!!! so i'd like to give credit to my sister. HEY sassy!!! does this essay ring a bell ?-grins-
charlene said a lil' prayer for you at 10:18 PM
