Day 1022

These boys! They are so very different in nature, but still have the Golden personality! Gus is painfully shy, Ranger knows what he wants and Sam has positive energy plus! Still, they are all loving, sweet Velcro Dogs!

I think of my own children who have such diverse personalities. Although they all share genetics and lived in The Big White House during their formative years, their strengths have led them down different paths. That is as it should be.

When they were young and soaking in the world around them, I tried to define what was most important in their development. Like most parents, I exposed them to music, sports and other offerings. We traveled, went on “field trips” and supported their education to a fault. Yet, the most important qualities were not really taught in those lessons or experiences.

Kindness and empathy were my goals for these children. The only way they could embrace those qualities into their hearts was to FEEL them. The only way to allow those feelings was to model along the way and include them in situations where their hearts could soak it in. They all seem to have passed the test.

Modeling kindness and empathy can certainly start in the home. Eventually, different settings with loving opportunities are essential. Like my Golden Boys, my two-legged children have their own strengths. Their most important qualities, however, reside in their hearts.