Family
|
Hi Reader, I went home for a few days recently. My family home. My parents still live in the house I grew up in. It is a house filled with memories, and love. The same chair where I sat on my Mums knee as an infant, that I now sit in with my daughter when we visit. The dining room where my family shared Christmas meals after opening gifts. The bedroom I shared with my older sister. Every square inch of the house is crammed with memories. As is the village it is located in. And going there I feel the love and strength that the wealth of memories gives me. It is a mental recharge. A reset of me as I was. And helps me remember who I am. The impact of this recent visit was so strong it made me consider the effect of family division. If you can draw so much strength from a visit to your family home. Imagine the personal and collective impact of a family divided. This is a topic close to my heart as a single parent. I often ponder the full impact of divorced parents on a child or children, no matter how cordial the parental relationship remains. Between family there is an unseen bond that gives us strength, almost as if it has been woven into a tapestry. Or set in stone. Family fosters a collective well-being that deserves our respect - for the sake of ourselves, and all of our family members. And separation, divorce, or discord does not change that. If there is a divide in your family, any divide, do everything you can to mend it. Through resolution or acceptance. Focus on the light, always, Natalie Attenborough |
Focus on the Light
Hi Reader, When I became a parent I was given one piece of advice that I found particularly useful. Never compare your child to others. As a first time parent it can be easy to question your own methods. And by comparing your child to others, conclude you are getting it wrong. But as we know, every child is different. So I chose not to compare mine to others, particularly for significant milestones such as crawling, walking and potty training. And I let my daughter proceed at her own pace....
Hi Reader, As we develop and age, much of our behaviour becomes habitual. The statistics for just how much vary greatly, but at least half of our actions seem to be driven by habit. And the implications of habitual behaviour are greater than you may imagine. As such, it is important to make a conscious effort to foster good habits. A bad habit that seems trivial now could be devastating should your circumstances change. When placed under extreme stress, there is a tendency to rely on...
Hi Reader, I give a lot of thought to the first article of the year. Not everybody enjoys the festive season. It has been described as a magnifying glass, amplifying our feelings. Some find the experience euphoric. For others it brings melancholy. But the new year offers an opportunity for change. And I want to encourage you to embrace it. None of us are on our own. No matter what your beliefs, know that there is something greater than you at work. Given the complexity of life and the...