Say what you will, but I really enjoy The Oprah Magazine. I find the articles to be well written, thought provoking and the content balanced by just the right amount of fluff.
The November 2013 issue contains the 12-page spread, Solving Life’s Mysteries, Great and Small! A team of experts weigh-in with their sometimes witty but often insightful “solutions” to some of life’s challenges.
I wanted to share with you two that made me stop, think and re-evaluate.
A friend had an Indian guru who was the embodiment of love, and the guru died. Bereft, my friend went back to India and stayed with the guru’s principal disciple, and one day the disciple said, “Do you want to see the precious thing the guru left me?” Then he pulled out something wrapped in an old Indian cloth and ceremoniously uncovered a beaten-up pot. He said, “Do you see it?” My friend answered, “No. What are you trying to tell me?” And with a mad glint in his eye, the disciple said, “You don’t have to shine!”
By: Mark Epstein, MD, is a psychiatrist and author of The Trauma of Everyday Life.
What’s the Magic Formula for Raising a Happy, Successful Kid?
People are so hungry to know how to let their kids flower. But your child’s “self” isn’t in hiding, waiting for you to flush it out. It’s constantly evolving, and your job is just to pay attention. . . . It’s hard to let your child grow when you’ve stopped growing. Don’t mold her into the adult you’d like her to be. Work on being that adult yourself.
By: Madeline Levine, PhD., Psychologist and the author of Teach Your Children Well.
Do you have any solutions for everyday life challenges? Has anyone ever said something to you and it’s changed how you look at a situation?
4 Mothers 
Ummm, hello! Thank you for the little truth you shared in the last article. Wow, I just never thought that way! I really need to pay attention to my kiddos, let God decide the path of their life, and spend more time focusing on who God wants ME to be!
The words inspired me too!
🙂
This is most profound. I love the line “Don’t mold her (child) into the adult you’d like her to be. Work on being that adult yourself.” So much wrapped up in those few words. I must get the “O” magazine! Thanks you for sharing this.
That line really got to me too. I often have to remind myself that the boys are not an extension of me but rather their own unique person.
I’ve read Teach Your Children Well (the source of the second quotation). I don’t actually remember this bit–but I can say that the book as a whole is perhaps the best and most inspiring parenting book I’ve read. I really recommend it (and in fact, being reminded of it makes me think it’s a good time for me to reread it).
I’m putting a hold on it now… thanks for the recommendation, Kelly.
Thanks for the suggestion. Adding it to my list right now!
My favourite bit of inspiration these days is “Don’t let “perfect’ be the enemy of ‘good.'”
That should be my own personal mantra!
I read a post earlier this evening that talked about a man’s journey to realizing he is more than the parts of his parents. It seems only fitting that I would run in to another post that reminds me to not try to make my daughter resemble MY parts. Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful and couldn’t be more applicable for me.