Last night I made the mistake of watching Miley Cyrus' performance on the VMA's...
Though my children are much younger than her target audience, if this is what the kids are watching now, I can only imagine and cringe at the thought of what it'll be like when they're a bit older. I am very aware that as much as we try to shield them from this type of program on television, they are still going to see it. That is a fact of life now that the internet, Facebook, Instagram, twitter, and so on are our daily reads. And then I read this profound post by Annie of Annie Blogs. She says, "bless that girl’s heart. Something is broken. Somehow her compass has come unhinged and her true north no longer exists." I couldn't agree more. Somewhere along the line, that child lost her way. She is only 20 years old, and yet seems to possess knowledge of someone twice her age. I am very sad for her. I'm sad for her mother, and I wonder when she looks at her daughter, does she see the toddler she once was? Is her heart breaking as she watches her young daughter do things she can never take back, things that will forever be on the Internet? Much more than our judgement, this young girl needs every kind word we have, our prayers, and our love.
When I look at Rowan, I am overcome with joy and gratefulness for the young child she is now, and I'm filled with hope for the woman she will become one day. What will she be like when she is Miley's age? I'd be lying if I said I'm scared that despite all the hope and care we take to ensure she grows up knowing Jesus, and is kind, loving, intelligent, and makes good choices, she will still sin and make mistakes. With all my mama's heart, I wish I could save her from those mistakes. And Beckett too, though Miley-gate 2013 has me mostly worried about the girls right now...
I like to think in my 34 years on this earth, I've obtained some knowledge. Some of that knowledge I may wish I could send back where it came from, but such as it is, I've learned from it all. I decided to write down some thoughts about things I hope that Rowan and Beckett learn from me (and wish I could share with the Mileys out there)...
...In the course of life, we will meet many people. We may not agree with the choices and beliefs of every single person we meet, but the smartest thing you can do is treat everyone with respect. People matter. Homeless, democrat, republican, Ole Miss fan, Mississippi State fan, billionaire, Christian or atheist, and so on. People matter, their feelings matter, and how you take care of their feelings absolutely means something. How you treat others says a great deal about you.
...Get an education. Even if you ultimately do not use your degree, getting a job will be smoother in the end if you have an education.
...This one is a hard one that I still struggle with at times, but trust God in all that you do. Decisions in life shouldn't be that difficult when you're staying in the Word and praying about them. God provides, and I trust that He will not steer us wrong if we trust in Him.
...Take care of your relationships. This is another one that can be especially challenging once significant others and children enter the picture. However I think our friends are the family we actually get to choose, and it's so important to take care of those bonds. Busy doesn't have to mean neglectful. Chances are, your friends are just as busy as you are, and a simple text saying you may not be around much during this season of life, but you're THERE for them. And if it is time to let go of a friendship, for whatever reason, be honest. You should not have to be in a relationship that is hurtful or imbalanced, but you do owe people the truth.
...Don't pretend to be something you're not. It must be exhausting to keep up appearances that you're anything but your true self, so why bother?
...You only get one physical body in this lifetime. Please please please take care of it. Realize early that everything that goes into your body does affect you, and could very well have lifelong implications. Learning to love exercise and physical fitness early in life will help you so much later in life when you actually HAVE to exercise ;)
...Because blogs, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, etc are all a very significant part of our world today, I hope my kids take care and be aware when they meet people online. Realize that sometimes what you see online is not always an accurate portrayal of true life. I will be the first to admit that I have cropped out clutter when taking photos of our home. Sometimes I've even shared that clutter in a post ;) But even more than hidden clutter, I want them to realize that people may not always be what they seem also.
...Learn to forgive and not hold grudges. Holding onto anger is exhausting, mentally and emotionally. Sometimes you have to learn to accept an apology that will never come (Thanks Dana!). I'm not saying to let people walk all over you, stand up for yourself, but realize that some people will never admit they were wrong.
...Be a hard worker. In whatever you choose to do with your life, put 100% into it, and don't expect anyone else to do it for you.
...Respect yourself, and be discerning in your choices. Dress appropriately and realize that how you dress is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. Along with this, respect yourself enough to be strong and stand up for what you believe in.
...Have a grateful heart. Be thankful for the gifts you've been given, and be happy to share them with others.
...Please remember that your worth is based on who you are as a child a God. Your worth is not decided upon because of what you do in your life. You don't have to be better than anyone else in this life, you just have to be YOU. God will not love you more because of your accomplishments.
If you're still reading, I hope I haven't bored you to pieces. And to my children, if you're reading this one day...just like I learned from my Momma, (even when I swore she was wrong) you'll hopefully figure out one day that I'm not as dumb as you think. :)
Xoxo,
Cameron
