Howtoencourage

Thursday, May 20, 2010

ENCOURAGING WORDS

Recently one of my adult kids were depressed because they didn't think they were good enough for the job that was before them. I did all the regular mom encouraging things that I knew how to do. And when they called still struggling, I wondered if I told them what my father said to me many times.

"There will always be those who are better than you and then there will be those whom you are better than. You just have to find the subjects, activities, sports and later on, jobs, where each can do and be your best. There is enough of what you need to go around."

I came across these encouraging words from Emerson which basically say the same thing as my father did those many years ago.

"Be yourself; no base imitator of another,
but your best self.
There is something you can do better
than another. Listen to the inward voice
and bravely obey that.
Do the things at which you are great,
not what you were never made for."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Later, I received the call that peace was made and life could go on.

1 comment:

Lori said...

It's interesting how you expressed, "... I did all the regular mom encouraging things that I knew how to do..."

I think I do that too. The regular stuff. I imagine my adult kids can parrot the phrases I use even before I say them.

It's finding the NEW phrases,and going further than the same-old-same-old in encouraging that'll make an impact.

I love Emerson's poem! Thanks for sharing. I'll be sure to add it to my "encouragement repertoire"!