04.05.07

The Sweets of Spring

Posted in Just A Thought at 9:33 am

Spring is a time for growth and reflection on our hopes for the future. There are many signs of this. More4Kids gives a list of things to teach our kids in preparation for Earth Day. Scribbit is sponsoring a growth carnival.

I attended a Seder, the Jewish meal that commemorates God’s role in freeing the Israelites from bondage. We spoke of the symbolism involved – the search for leavened bread symbolizes the need to search and reflect on your relationships to escape, with God’s help, the bondage of repeating mistakes in your relationships with others.

What would I hope I and my friends would reflect on improve our vision for the future?

Fear

Fear is a double-pronged menace. If you think a disaster is likely to strike you can be paralyzed in inaction. Worse, you can hope to avert it by denying the possibility of the disaster.
Most people aren’t paralyzed with fear or are in emotional debates at the thought aliens are going to invade the earth. It’s not a real fear so very few get hot & bothered over it. Whether it is global warming or child predator safeguards that are getting you to a state where you ‘can’t think straight you’re so angry’ perhaps reflection on the root of the fear will help.

Chosen=Entitled

Every group on Earth has part of their culture that they are the chosen of God. As a parent I can easily relate to the truth of this – I would have chosen each of my three children. This doesn’t mean that I have chosen any of them to receive all my wealth. (We do have clauses in all my family’s wills to leave the bulk of any money to a family member that is completely incapacitated, but fortunately that has never occurred.)

Quite often I hear people say that they are not giving up their x until everyone else does. Usually this is in relationship to China although sometimes it is about the size of their car compared to their neighbor’s. Reflecting on why things are important to you may help.

I personally need to keep asking myself why I think sweets are necessary to a happy childhood and if more sweets equate to more happiness. I am very partial to lack of sleep and more efficient stomach bacteria as a real cause of obesity but what if I’m wrong? What if I’m right? Just because I make my kids go to sleep 2 hours earlier every night than their friends and I hope an antibiotic-type-thing before holidays will allow copious sweets, should I? What about the effect on other parents trying to cut their kids back? Isn’t this important in raising my kids? But I really like sweets and I need to get to the bottom of this.

Maybe this season will help.

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