| This is a subject near and dear to my heart only | | | | This all boils down to teaching by example, does it |
| because I am a dad who is hopelessly crazy about his | | | | not? Children will typically imitate their parents, and this |
| children. Yes, I admit it, I admit it, I'm a doting dad! I can't | | | | is the most important thing to remember when |
| help myself. I have four children each with different | | | | attempting to pass things on. I have always believed |
| personalities (surprise, surprise) and only one of them | | | | that writing (particularly journaling) clarifies our hearts |
| really doesn't care much for writing. It seems that | | | | and souls. It is a way of bringing out those inner |
| whenever I was writing in my journal one or all of my | | | | thoughts and feelings that help make us what we are. |
| children were hanging around. My oldest daughter, | | | | What better way to sharpen the mind and purify the |
| Sandra, used to come into my study and watch me | | | | soul than to dialog with yourself about your life and |
| either do research or writing of some kind. I was in | | | | where it is going, what you've learned and wisdom |
| graduate school studying for my PhD, and my children | | | | gained? All of this to say, what better gift to pass onto |
| would often come and ask me about what I was | | | | our children (or any children in your life) than gifts that |
| reading or writing. Sandra always seemed to be | | | | will help them develop great inner qualities of mind and |
| fascinated with academic things, but particularly reading | | | | spirit? All the money in the world could never buy the |
| and writing. She is currently attending Central Michigan | | | | gift we can give to children in the form of love for the |
| University with the hopes of one day getting her PhD | | | | written word.I had the chance to pass journals out to |
| in Literature. She loves to write, and I am overwhelmed | | | | my son Weston's class on the last day of school this |
| by having been able to contribute to her love for the | | | | year. The kids were thrilled and asked me many good |
| written word. She wrote me a letter from college a | | | | questions about journaling. One child asked me what |
| couple of weeks ago and had this to say. "I just | | | | he should write, while another wanted to know how I |
| wanted to drop you a note to thank you for all that | | | | got started. I enjoyed telling them about the importance |
| you've done for me throughout the years. You have | | | | of cultivating their thoughts even on simple things about |
| taught me a great deal that I am so grateful for. I credit | | | | which children think. One child thought she would write |
| my love for the written word to your influence and to | | | | about how she felt about her cat dying and wanted to |
| God. You have helped instill in me a rare quality of true | | | | know how to start. So I gave her some lines to |
| passion for the value of the intellect. I'll be praying for | | | | consider starting the process of reflection on how she |
| you and thinking of you, Love, Sandra Joy" This comes | | | | felt. All it took was a line, "My cat died and I feel just |
| after more than two years of virtually no | | | | awful about it. I miss her very much." She sat at her |
| communication with her. We had a falling out two | | | | desk and by the time class ended, she had more than |
| years ago, that has since been redeemed and healed. | | | | a page filled. |
| How grateful I am. | | | | |