In my 47 years I’ve been through a lot of transitions… but the one I started going through last week I was not ready for and no one told me it was coming. I’m sure someone may have said something at sometime… but I didn’t listen or get what they were saying.
News flash: If you haven’t already, one day you will make the transition form being a child of your parents to being the parent of your parents.
When I was the child, mom and dad made all my decisions for me. They provided, protected, gave wisdom, and handled all the hard stuff. I was just along for the ride. Life was easy. Responsibility was minimal. I was free from all the emotional encumberances that come with being an adult.
But one day things will change… unexpectedly. The one(s) who made deicisions for you will rely on you to make their decisions. The one(s) who protected you will need to be protected. You will be the one to shield, provide, and sustain them rather than the other way around. Whereas they changed your diaper, you may one day be changing theirs.
And what a joy that will be! We have an opportunity to pay them back with the same love they showed us when we were helpless, defenseless, and dependent. We will have the priviledge and honor of doing for them what they did for us. If that thought repulses you or causes you anxiety over having to be inconvenienced or some other non-sensical idea, I ask you to remember one more thing…
One day YOU (And I) will need someone to once again do for us when we cannot do for ourselves.
I guess it is here that the Golden Rule would apply: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Hmmm…
I’m going through a transition. But others have gone through it before me and other will after me. My prayer is that I will be found faithful. My prayer is that you will be found faithful.
Ephesians 6:1-3, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you…'”