Incubated in Warm Loving Water

 

"Whatever you do, be different -

that was the advice my mother gave me,

and I can't think of better advice

for an entrepreneur.

If you're different,

you will stand out."

 

Anita Roddick

 



When I came across this quote, I put it "on" to try it out.  I immediately felt like I was being incubated in warm loving water.  I felt as though I was beginning  life naked and everything I would choose to wear or embrace would totally be of my discretion.  The water surrounding me was clear, supportive, and embracing. 

These words by Anita Roddick are completely contradictory from the words I heard.  The directives for me came in questions:  "Why can't you be like Suzy?  Why do you have to read so much?  Why aren't you joining a group?  Don't stand out, fit in! Why can't you just be like all of the other kids?" The pressure to belong or fit in was not as great as the message of something being 'wrong' with me.

When I was in the midst of parenting, I read an article about a young couple who were adopting a baby.  They were both very invested, but the soon to be father made a comment that stayed with me all of these years.  He said about raising the forth coming child, "I can hardly wait to watch him unfold.  It will be like unwrapping a gift discovering who he is and who he is meant to be."  I was so happy that these parents were not projecting expectations about this child.  They wanted to nurture him and give him strength to find his own way.

I am seasoned enough to know there are children who have been given positive nurturing and still find themselves in trouble.  Growing children is an incredibly difficult thing to do.  I cannot help but wonder, however, how different our world would be if all children were allowed to foster their heart's desire.   What if we calculated the perfect balance of guidance and freedom?  How would our world appear if we were able to view our inner self as beautiful and capable of accomplishing pursuit of our dreams?  If we used the billions of dollars we spend on wars, and created healthy and creative opportunities for all children, perhaps we would breed peace through compassion and acceptance.