Tag Archives: life

Lessons from Your Parents

I was training a group of lay counselors the other day and asked them a question to begin our session together.

“What was a lesson you learned from your mother or father and how have you put it into practice in your life?”

As we went around the table, there was laughter, crying, long explanations and ultimately a deeper understanding of our connectedness with one another and our parents. Not everyone’s memories were all positive and some of the recollections include large gaps of missing information. But we all learned important lessons.

I have lots to choose from in the lessons my mother taught me. Loosing my dad when I was only 3, my mom instilled a deep faith and hope in the most challenging of times. I learned how to smile and keep positive regardless of circumstances. And at the same time I learned it is okay to be sad and cry when things get really hard. I learned that people matter and should be valued regardless of their faults. Most of all I learned that God is faithful and gives us strength to get through each day.

I try to live these lessons out in my life. Some days I do better than others.

What about you? What lessons did you learn from your mother or father and how have you put it into practice in your live?