As a confidence specialist and personal development educator most of my time is spent 
working with wonderful women who have made a decision to change their life, to create the life they truly desire so that they can be role models to their children, to other women and at the other end of the scale, know that when they leave this world they will leave it empty… empty because they will have lived their dream not died with it locked deep inside them. They will have used their gift of life…
This weekend I was given the opportunity to experience the gift of life up close and personal. My very dear friend Chelle and her partner Mark invited me to be with them at the birth of their child; an honour along with being asked to be the godmother! I remembered the ‘birth’ day of my own son, the joy and feelings of love that overwhelmed me, the amazement of having been able to create a new life. However, as I didn’t get to see him ‘being born’ this was going to be a different experience, another take on the gift of life.
A few things really hit me whilst watching the actual childbirth; for those of us that have or want children there is this burning desire to see our newborn, fit and healthy and we want more than ever to shower this new life with love, unconditional love. I heard it repeatedly during my friend’s labour both with her partner and the midwife. There was little if any concern for her own well-being, her pain, just the safe arrival of her baby… it meant so much more to her.
This led me to think about the changes that often follow. As our children grow up we start telling them to meet our expectations and too often spend time highlighting their shortfalls instead of glorying in their achievements and encouraging them. Long forgotten is the pure joy of them coming into existence. Granted there is a need to instil good behaviour, respect and manners into their growth but what about the joy of simply appreciating that they were born at all?
So I took away a healthy dose of reminders to self:
- My child is special and precious, not just in the moment of his childbirth and youth but every day of his adult life
- My unconditional love for him represents an appreciation of his life being a gift – it doesn’t represent lack of boundaries or accepting poor behaviour
- The importance of celebrating his achievements, big, small and everything in-between
- Saying ‘I love you’… daily
- Giving a hug of gratitude that reminds him I am thankful he is here in the now
What will you do to show your child they are a gift of life?
Being Your Best You 