“I walk slowly, but I never walk backwards.” -Abraham Lincoln
Raising children is an experiment with time. Some years go by in a day; some days take a year to end. Rest assured, children will move forward. Step by step or in leaps and bounds, life usually averages out to be a slow walk into the future.
But what a ride! When they’re little, you get to be a kid with them. As they age, we discover so much about ourselves and our own upbringing. By watching them grow, we realize they aren’t what we may have expected. The myths, the beliefs, the ideas of parenthood you gathered held little truth. Our children aren’t exactly like us. Their lives are at times vastly different than ours, especially now with a digital revolution happening all around us. They have to pave their own paths into realms unknown. It is they who lead us into this hyperconnected 21st century.
We can still guide them in the timeless values that have grounded us for millennia. Kindness. Compassion. Hard work. Dedication. What we model is what they will absorb. Children’s minds can seem porous, lessons going in one ear and out the other. But they do learn from watching us. Our actions are like stone, our words like water. We must demonstrate what we want them to learn.
Practicing kindness and compassion is almost an act of defiance lately. In this world of constant streaming, anonymous bullying, and power plays, a commitment to others can seem rare. It isn’t. This next generation is more responsible and charitable than any before it. Their efforts don’t make for great headlines, but these kids are out there volunteering and being active in their communities.
Lending a helping hand to this dedicated group is the best thing any of us can do. Here’s a secret though: Helping the younger generation help others is the most rewarding thing you can do for yourself. It turns out to be a priceless gift not only for the kids but for you.
With the current HeroScaping project now in its second week in Central Pennsylvania, the EP Henry family is humbled and honored by the CPI students’ hard work. In current photos of the project in progress, you can see a subtle wipe of the brow and the concentrated looks. The heaving of heavy stone is no small task. Putting in a new patio is a huge endeavor. Putting it in for a deserving veteran puts even more pressure on these kids to get it right. These pictures tell the story of their efforts. To us, each pic is more than 1000 words.
The official unveiling of the site will be May 27th, just in time for Memorial Day. We’ll update you then.