Lately my sweet girl has been asking me what her life will be like when she grows up. Will she be married; will she have children; will she be an occupational therapist or should she do something else; will college be hard; will she find a job; will she live near me; and on and on.
Usually I tell her that she will do what she wants to do and if she wants to get married, then she will, etc. I tell her that we make our paths in life by our actions and our hearts and that she must follow her heart and do what seems right to her. In the end though, my comforting words don't provide her much comfort; it's all just too abstract perhaps for her age (just turned 13).
So lately that wonderfully simple song sung by Doris Day, "Que Sera Sera" has been sneaking its way into my thoughts. I wonder if these words would provide more comfort in their sheer statement of relax, don't worry, live and see what happens - a sort of wu wei* respect:
Usually I tell her that she will do what she wants to do and if she wants to get married, then she will, etc. I tell her that we make our paths in life by our actions and our hearts and that she must follow her heart and do what seems right to her. In the end though, my comforting words don't provide her much comfort; it's all just too abstract perhaps for her age (just turned 13).
So lately that wonderfully simple song sung by Doris Day, "Que Sera Sera" has been sneaking its way into my thoughts. I wonder if these words would provide more comfort in their sheer statement of relax, don't worry, live and see what happens - a sort of wu wei* respect:
"Que Sera, Sera"
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother
What will I be
Will I be pretty
Will I be rich
Here's what she said to me
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart
What lies ahead
Will we have rainbows
Day after day
Here's what my sweetheart said
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Now I have Children of my own
They ask their mother
What will I be
Will I be handsome
Will I be rich
I tell them tenderly
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Que Sera, Sera
YouTube link to hear song: Que Sera Sera by Doris Day
How do you relieve your child's anxieties over the future?
*Wu Wei (press on the words wu wei here or above to go to the Wikipedia definition): Wu wei is a Taoist concept that when one lives in harmony with the Tao (nature, the natural way of things, truth, and any other concept of spiritual oneness), one responds effortlessly to any situations that arise and follows one's true path of being. It is often interpreted as "non-action" but this is too misleading I believe when one comes from a western philosophical mindset. Anyway, please forgive me if I have not done justice in my definition here.----- I loved my eastern philosophy classes back in my college days.
I personally have been worried about it in the past couple years, but all my worrying seems to lead me to just "let her grow up" and see how it turns out. Do all the typical things and see what happens. She herself has decided different things throughout the years, she will live near her sister, be an artist or a nurse, maybe get married, possibly adopt children, have a cat, live in an old castle renovated of course, and have an awesome kitchen to cook fabulous more interesting meals than what I cook.
ReplyDeleteHer plans sound lovely. It's funny how she is going to cook "fabulous more interesting meals" than you. LOL
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