In this society, some of us may work from the premise we must beat, push, or discipline the concepts inherent in character into our children.
We may feel, if we do not constantly remind our children to say please and thank you, often threatening them with some kind of retribution when they forget, they won't learn "good manners.
" We may punish or berate our children if they are disrespectful, appear undisciplined, or tell a lie.
If we punish or berate them it may be because we feel they are "bad" and it is our job to make them "good.
" In other words, we may believe kids only know how to act disrespectfully until we teach and force them to behave otherwise.
However, are kids born bad or good, disrespectful or respectful? Are some kids just "bad seeds" and others "little angels?" Or, are they born neutral and learn to display certain behavior? There is "scientific evidence" that some kids are born predisposed genetically to some illnesses, both physical and emotional.
Are some kids however, born predisposed to certain behavior, either "good" or "bad?" Certainly kids are born with different temperaments.
As we are expressions, manifestations of energy in the universe, we know that energy may display different qualities; there is fire and ice, water and air, natural elements that we are comprised of.
There are fiery volcanoes and placid lakes.
There are majestic icy mountains and hot windswept flowing desserts.
We are merely a reflection, a physical embodiment and combination of these elements.
Scientifically, we know this to be true, as we are composed of the same chemicals as constitutes these basic elements.
So it should be no surprise that as we come into this world, we may be predisposed to certain temperaments.
Yet just as fire, ice, water, and air are neither good nor bad, our disposition is neither good nor bad.
The elements found in nature may be used in ways that are either constructive or destructive.
So it is with our disposition, our nature.
We are born neutral with the capacity to act positively or negatively in the world.
Like the hurricane or sunny fair weather front, we manifest certain qualities and attributes based on the combination of influences in our environment.
Depending on these influences, we can express high levels of positive or negative qualities.
The negative qualities are not a manifestation of something inherent in us.
They are simply the absence of positive qualities.
The absence of light creates dark, but the absence of dark does not create light.
Only light creates light.
We are all born with this light, the positive qualities, within us.
As we grow we may not realize these qualities because we are out of touch with them; the dark is present because of the absence of light; these qualities have not been promoted, so they may not shine through us.
If we look further at the analogy of the hurricane, we know it has an "eye" that is very different from the brutal characteristics it is displaying on the exterior.
The eye of this severe weather expression is calm, serene, and peaceful.
In fact in the eye, the sun is shining! So it is with people.
If we could look deep enough we would find a part of us, a place within us, that is always calm, serene, and peaceful, where the sun is always shining.
Yet in times of storminess and turbulence we are out of touch with this part of us; the light is contained in this place and may not shine through us.
In the absence of this light shining through to our exterior, there is darkness.
So our children are born with a certain temperament that is neither inherently good nor bad.
They are born with a radiance, a light, which has the capacity to realize tremendous positive qualities if allowed and encouraged to shine through their being.
We need not beat these qualities into them.
If we try, we suppress the light within them, creating the dark and their inability to find their natural expression in the world.
We allow the light to shine within our children through our being loving and authentic, through what we express and the behavior we model.
Understanding this, we may sometimes need patience to follow through; our children may not be on our timetable but on their own.
When we have an understanding of and faith in the process, we realize time is not the issue; there is always plenty of time for greatness.
If we know this to be the result, we may be willing to wait; our patience may be inspired.