Roots and Wings

At one point when I was younger, I saw that my mom had found a wonderful saying that was hanging in our den. I’m sure that she had found it at some garage sale or thrift store. Anyway, this saying has always stuck with me. It says, “There are two things that we can give our children: One is Roots and the other is Wings.” I remember asking my mom at that time what it meant and she told me that the roots are what we get as we grow up. It’s our values and the core of who we are. The wings are the gifts that our parents give us so that we can soar on our own in the world, and that we can be productive citizens.

With my new job with a different school board (a neighboring parish), I’m working with students who have behavior issues although actually it’s more that I’m also working with the teachers and administrators so that they can help these students as well. Even though I knew this from before from my time as a teacher, I have also realized something important as well, there are so many people who didn’t grow up the way that I did or even the way that my husband did. You see, both my husband and I grew up with both a mother and father who stayed together, no divorces, no messy separations. During my time here, there are so many things that I’m hearing these students go through and some of them haven’t been near as lucky. It’s hard for them to develop wings when their lives have been so boggy. They never had the chance to develop those good roots that my husband and I have had.

So, how could I help them when it’s hard for me to understand the sort of things that they have had to go through?

I do a lot and a lot of praying and I know that God gives me the words when I don’t have any. (Related post: An Act of Faith). So, essentially, He helps me to tell them that they have untapped strength inside them. He helps me to let them know that they have a purpose and a meaning, that they can be so much more than what they’ve experienced in this world and that they can also help others who have been in similar situations.

Many, many times we don’t truly know why we have been on the path that we are on. Sometimes, it is through the choices that we’ve made and sometimes it’s by sheer happenstance. Yet each experience can be used to help us to grow those roots so that we can develop our own wings. We just have to remember that we are never alone on this journey that we call life. All we have to do is look up. (Related post: The Path to Redemption).

So, what did I learn from this? I can be a vessel to show others who God is. He is compassion. He is love. He is redemption. He is joy. My roots run deep because I do have a family that loves and cares for me. I am lucky in that and I don’t take it for granted at all. However I have come to this job, I see it as a ministry and a way to show others the compassion, love, redemption and joy that God has shown me. Am I always successful? Unfortunately and sadly, no. As I work with children, their parents and all of those who work with them as well, my hope is that I can plant a seed that when watered, will grow and become something beautiful later on. This is always my prayer.

What can you learn from this? Think about your own journey that you’ve been on. I’m sure that it hasn’t all been sunshine and roses. I’m sure (like all of us), you’ve battled the storms and thorns of life. As you’ve come through, you have come out stronger and more resilient than ever. When you do get through, then be sure to say “Thank you!” to the Man upstairs. He’s been holding your hand and carrying you the whole time (even though you may not have seen it at that time), so give Him a little bit of love and acknowledgement. I think that He would appreciate that.