Our parents are not perfect people. They have laughed, cried, succeeded, failed, and made decisions that shaped our lives in ways they themselves may never fully understand. Yet before we learned to walk, someone carried us. Before we learned to speak, someone listened to our cries. Before we understood the weight of the world, someone carried a weight on our behalf.
As we grow older, something remarkable happens. We begin to see our parents not only as "Mum" or "Dad," but as human beings. We notice the silent sacrifices, the dreams they postponed, the fears they hid, and the battles they fought so that we could have another opportunity.
Today is not merely about remembering them. It is about appreciating them while our voices can still reach their ears. It is about forgiving where healing is needed, expressing gratitude where love has often gone unspoken, and praying that Olódùmarè continues to strengthen those who first strengthened us.
If your parents are still alive, do not wait for a special occasion before saying, "Thank you." Tell them you love them. Ask how they are doing. Pray for them. A few sincere words today may become a memory that lasts forever.
If one or both have joined the ancestors, remember their good works. Let the worthy lessons they planted continue to bear fruit in your own life. The greatest honor we can give those who came before us is to live with wisdom, integrity, and compassion.
Today, let gratitude replace assumption. Let prayer replace neglect. Let love be spoken while there is still time.
Prayer
Olódùmarè, Source of all life, I thank You for the parents and guardians You have used to shape my journey. Bless them with strength where they are weak, peace where they are troubled, healing where they are hurting, and joy where they have known sorrow.
Grant them long life where it is Your will, surround them with good people, and let the seeds of their sacrifices produce lasting fruit. Give me a heart that honors them with my words, my actions, and the way I live.
May my Ori always remember gratitude before pride, love before resentment, and wisdom before judgment.
Àṣẹ.
Someone once told me our parents are not aliens or island of knowledge, they’re also just experiencing and living life, is okay if they make mistake because this is also their first time living. A lot of times we hold long grudges towards them thinking they should know better but who says they can’t make errors, a lot of time we forget that our parents are also growing, learning, changing and wanting a better future and life too, so instead of focusing on weaknesses, direct your energy towards helping them become better people.
ReplyDeleteI can honestly relate to this. I'm guilty of holding grudges against my parents because of their imperfections, expecting them to always know better. But as I've grown, I've started to realize they're human too. They're living life for the first time, just like the rest of us, learning through mistakes and trying to do their best with what they know.
ReplyDeleteThat perspective has helped me replace some of my resentment with understanding. It doesn't erase the pain, but it reminds me to choose grace where I can and to pray for them instead of only dwelling on their flaws.