LET'S BLESS A CHILD

 

BUILDING BETTER HABITS

A happy child having fun with blessings /Photo Courtesy / Monstera Production

Origin

The practice of blessing children dates back to three thousand five hundred years ago. This is also the same period we can say, not conclusively some parts of the Bible were written. The first five books in particular. Were written by Moses who lived between the 1500 BC and 1300 BC. The New Testament on the other hand, was written between the 1^st and the 2^nd Centuries. You can always access the inside scoops and specifics from your local priest. Including the chronological time frames of who, when, and how each book was written. I am personally fascinated by the deep knowledge exhibited by priests towards the Bible. They have one focus. And they get the job done very admirably. I highly recommend them for this type of assignment. And now, back to work. The act of blessing children is documented in different cultures across histories. It is even practiced today by individuals and societies.  

Even Socrates talked about children. However, based on his account. It is clear that he was not a fan of children. He saw children as defiant creatures. Who contradict their own parents. According to Socrates, these little creatures lacked respect. And the disrespect was on public display. For example, they ate before the guests. And after they had committed all these wrongs. Children could still not rise. When elders walked in a room. In summary, Socrates described children as tyrants. They never acted as servants in their own homes. This is an account or observation, which took place over two thousand years ago. To be exact, it was around 2,400 years ago. Socrates was a philosopher who could easily qualify as an ethics professor in modern society. His accounts majored mostly morals, thus, the views. So children, your behavior is well known. I think Socrates was lamenting about society losing its face. In the wake of changes taking place in the world. Parents were perhaps, overwhelmed by the constant rapid changes. And failed to instill the right values in their children.

That struggle exists even today. Modern parents also struggle to instruct and punish their children. There is some level of defiance in modern society. The current defiance however, does not necessarily mean that parents have failed to raise their children properly. There are a lot of factors that can contribute to a child becoming defiant. If given a chance. Each individual child will have a different account of why his or her behavior is rebellious. And this is actually the most interesting part about life. It brings up a lot of things. Things that people can learn from or suffer from. It all depends on which side of the coin you represent. Preconditioned or open-minded side. Overall, life is good. At least of all people in the world. Life is honest. It happens when it wants to happen. And it never holds back. And you can learn from it.

A beautiful baby enjoying a blessing /Photo Courtesy /Nataliya Vaitkevich

Just as you can learn from Socrates. This philosopher solved many complex moral issues. Back then, not everything had justice. New problems in particular, presented challenges to then justices. There were no precedents that they could look at to decide a new case. So you can imagine the kind of work Socrates did. He must have utilized every skill and knowledge he had. Sharing wisdom so that people could learn what to do. It is amazing how one man’s thought process united and polarized at the same time. But you can take one fact from Socrates' account of children. Although the word tyrant could be too strong. He was right. Parenting is hard. If you want to know how hard it is. Just ask a Millennial parent. Maybe, most modern children have not received what they need or deserve to grow up as respectful human beings.

I am not sure either whether most modern parents are equipped. Or have what it takes to rise a child. Especially to Socrates’ standards. But parents are trying. Their child could be the one who does not rise when an elder enters a room. However, that does not make them bad parents. It only confirms that there is a parenting problem in modern society. And something needs to be done. Whether relevant people choose to see the problem or not is a discussion for another day. We have a long way to go before we measure up. How a child comes out. Depends on what a parent knows or does not know.  Some children are taught to stand, while others are not taught. I’m also not sure whether you should take offence as an elder or not. But what I know is that we can all make progress. Let’s unlearn and learn. Life has so much to offer. The same children who are accused of not respecting. Can learn a lot in a society that finds them defiant. They only need to open their eyes and start listening.  

But We Will Bless This Child

An enchanting child getting a blessing /Photo / Magazine PH

The child is ready. The child has shown great growth milestones. He has gone through fire. The child has walked long miles. He has endured the sun. The storms. The rains and everything difficult in-between. We will bless this child. The child has earned this blessing. It has been a long time coming. Let’s hold no more. The child is about to go out. He is about to do great things. The journey ahead will be more difficult than the journey before. This child could really use a blessing. An excited mother has worked so hard. She has been through a lot raising this child. She has taught this child a lot of things. And she is proud of the outcome. She can’t wait no more. This child must accomplish something on his own. So this child must get out and go get a life. And mother and child do not know what the future holds.

The only way they will both find out is when the child is set free. To develop his own wings and explore the world. Will the child even develop those wings at all? The mother wonders. But she is determined. Her son must prepare for the journey ahead. The son must embark on this difficult excursion alone. She has done her part. She gave him everything he ever needed for survival. The son will have ups and downs. However, she trusts her son. The mother’s child will do the right thing. The son will remember his mother’s teachings. And choose wisely. He will be living and walking among wolves. But he will be safe. The mother knows his child is prepared. He will be safe even in the wilderness. The child will go to different corners of the world and come back safe. This mother’s child will triumph.

The Blessing

“May you go out there, and prosper,

May you go out there, and fulfill your purpose,

May you go out there, and change lives,

May you go out there, and build successful ventures,

 May this child go out there, and make six figures,

May you go out there, and conquer everything,

Be protected child from every snare,

 

I now release you to the world,

I bless this child to succeed at anything,

Be blessed child.

Amen!”