Hopes

I've heard people say things about "hopes for their kids" so many times and I've always misunderstood it. I don't think it is just about what you want them to grow up to become, but rather it is about the world you want them to see, what you want them to value and the version of yourself that you want to become for them.

It is the hope that they see the wonder, generosity and beauty in the world; but also that when they see the want and despair they don't shrink away but step in to act in generosity. 

The hope that regardless of their education and experiences that they value faith; that when life violently turns against believing, their faith grasps with white knuckles and refuses to relent. 

The hope that they love and respect their parents and, when they realize that their parents are just people too, the simple human that raised them is still worth that love and respect. 

The hope is not that storms won't come, but that when they do sails will swivel with steady hands and bows continue straight. 

I read a speech Supreme Court Justice John Roberts gave to his son's graduating class and it resonated with me, below is an excerpt -

"From time to time in the years to come, I hope you will be treated unfairly, so that you will come to know the value of justice. I hope that you will suffer betrayal because that will teach you the importance of loyalty. Sorry to say, but I hope you will be lonely from time to time so that you don’t take friends for granted. I wish you bad luck, again, from time to time so that you will be conscious of the role of chance in life and understand that your success is not completely deserved and that the failure of others is not completely deserved either. And when you lose, as you will from time to time, I hope every now and then, your opponent will gloat over your failure. It is a way for you to understand the importance of sportsmanship. I hope you’ll be ignored so you know the importance of listening to others, and I hope you will have just enough pain to learn compassion. Whether I wish these things or not, they’re going to happen. And whether you benefit from them or not will depend upon your ability to see the message in your misfortunes."   

Link to the full speech here

With high hopes, 

 D & H