I Want

Children may not always do what we say, but they will always, always do what we do. ~ unknown

I want Luke to be honest. I have to ALWAYS tell him the truth. Luke needs to see me always being honest with others. No "white lies," no "just this time's," none of that. Just honesty. No matter if the topic makes me uncomfortable or not, I need Luke to know that without a doubt, I am being honest with him. Then he can learn to be honest with others.

I want Luke to be caring. I need to send cards to my friends for no particular reason. I need to hold the door open for strangers and talk with my neighbors when I am in a rush.I must listen to people. Really listen. Then Luke will understand what it means to be caring.

I want Luke to be gentle. Physically and emotionally. I need to be gentle not only with Luke, but with myself. I need to be gentle in my approach when I talk with him about a poor choice that he made. I need to respond gently to him when he says or does something that may push my motherly buttons. Because in me being gentle with Luke, he will learn to be gentle with others.

I want Luke to love animals. I believe that animals have every right to be on this earth, and so I must treat them lovingly at all times. By not eating beef, stepping on ants, squishing spiders on the wall or going fishing, I will teach Luke that animals are worthy and deserving of our love.

I want Luke to have a sense of humor. I need to laugh. A lot. I must take the time to listen to silly jokes and watch funny videos. I need to laugh often and deeply at life. By showing Luke how to laugh and be joyful, he will develop a sense of humor.

I want Luke to have positive self esteem. I need to hold myself in high regard. I need to tell myself that I am worthy and wonderful just the way I am. Loud enough for Luke to hear me. I need to appreciate my body, whatever it may look like on any given day. Because when Luke hears the message "I am beautiful and I am enough," he will learn to apply it to himself.

I want Luke to appreciate nature. I must make sure that I am spending as much time outdoors with him as possible. I must literally take time to "smell the roses" as often as I can. I need to take walks and have picnics. I need to be aware of flowers and clouds and trees and the seasons. By spending time outdoors experiencing all that nature has to offer, Luke will develop an appreciation for nature.

I want Luke to be loving. I must show him how to love, by expressing love to his daddy and to him and to people that I care about. Unconditionally, by listening to people and looking them in the eye and saying heartfelt, kind things to them. Luke will learn to be loving by seeing me express love.

I want a lot of things for my child, just as many other mothers do. I am hopeful that he will grow up to possess all of the qualities that I listed, and more. What I want the most for Luke, though, is to be who he was made to be. I want him to embrace himself and all that he has to offer. By supporting him and building his self esteem, I can help him to do just that.