There continue to be a number of items in my life that have had their perspective changed. Some of the more constant items have been in the topics of grace, forgiveness, and showing love to others. My understanding of what it means to forgive and love others is much different than it used to be. Children showcase love and affection in order to have their needs met;
“….you’ll be my very best friend if you give me that action figure!”
As a grown adult, or MID (man in development), it really begins to show its value as a selfless discipline that ultimately benefits the person possessing it, far more than selfishness.
An example of this is the relationship I had with my father. Just a few years ago, I came to the ‘conclusion’ that the reason dad spent so much time at the office at night was that he must have not wanted to be with his family. My younger mind processed these actions in a way that didn’t quite see the larger picture.
As an older me, I see myself doing the same behavior my father did; staying up late at night, reading articles, learning, and discovering new finds on the internet. I lose myself in this capacity – exactly like my father did. I can now look back on my father’s absence at night as something he and I connect through – long after he passed away.
My childhood grudge has transformed into my my adult treasure; with the memories serving as an heirloom and token of love.
See, Wim Plaat was notorious for sending articles, via email, to his family. I quick search of my email shows several hundred articles/emails/facts he sent.
The past few weeks of my life have provided some experiences that led me to appreciate these emails so much more than I ever imagined.
Watching Jerry (the bird I rescued) be fed by his mother was a beautiful sight. She would scavenge for food, only to return to the ‘nest’ and regurgitate when she had already ‘prepared’ for her child. All he had to do was receive this love. The mother bird was the one who put herself on the line of safety to protect and nourish her bird.
In a similar fashion, my parents did the same for me. (Mom, I’ll write your blog shortly). During the dawn of the internet, the net had the potential to be a very slimy place, with material not suited for children, easily accessible even from ‘trusted’ sites; I’ll never forget the day I realized my beloved MSN (before the MSNBC merge) homepage contained community groups full of hardcore pornography, only a few short clicks from the homepage. I was surprised.
Wim Plaat and the bird both fended for their children; finding only the good to return to the nest and deliver. Yes, my father may have spent many late nights at his office. However, when I look back on my father and view him as a loving family man, who would spend thousands of hours learning and finding information that he thought was specifically beneficial for each and every single one of his six children, I can view him as a late-night warrior who put life and limb on the line to protect, educate, and love his family.
In this same token, I have this perspective for my older brother, Steven. The amount of risk and fears he’s has to confront have been nothing short of incredible. He and I have not always had ‘proud’ moments of our life, where we walk through experiences we’d much rather hide from our instagram-polished world – but we have never run from the fight. I’ve seen countless people express ‘concerns’ for out-of-the-box choices. However, it’s these same out-of-the-box choices that create the beautiful world we live in. Were it not for the risk-takers, who weren’t afraid to bleed a little, we’d still believe the world was flat.
Full of gratitude.
Go West, young man!
Featured Image From Deviantart
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