Our children

I wonder if perhaps one reason why our young people find themselves caught up with problems with drugs, alcohol and violence is because they lack a sense of hope. Perhaps this has been OUR unfortunate legacy to them...
...teach them to take responsibility for the choices they make. If we structure opportunities for children to experience success in taking such responsibility, we also create opportunities to affirm them at every turn. The children grow in self-respect and develop positive self-concepts. They begin to feel confident and hopeful.
I wonder what our lives would be like if we used this approach, not only with our children, but with everyone in our lives. If instead of giving into our NATURAL inclination to judge, we made the choice to affirm others whenever we can. If instead of CHOOSING to see the glass half-empty, we choose to look at it half-full. Perhaps if we lived like this, we'd find our community built up and our children happy.  ~Philip M. Kanfush, O.S.B.