Loading Bricks, Feeding the Family, Building a Cathedral

Loading Bricks, Feeding the Family, Building a Cathedral

There’s a wonderful teaching story of three men all working on the same construction site. A passer-by asks one of the men what he’s doing. He answers somewhat surly, “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m hauling bricks!”  The passer-by asks the second man what he’s doing. He answers stands up with tangible pride, “I’m feeding my family.”  When the passer-by asks the third worker, he stops and looks up with a sense of wonder in his eyes, “I’m building a cathedral!”

Same construction site, same task. Completely different depth of meaning and purpose.

My clients having the hardest times these days are parents whose young children are now attending school at home, all classes online, no interacting with teachers and classmates; no playing with friends at recess. And parents, many of whom are working from home themselves, are overloaded and going crazy.

So much depends on: 1) being angry and frustrated with school policies and orotocols that can change day to day, becoming impatient with lessons that are boring and instructions that are confusing.  2) catching a youngster’s excitement, “Daddy, I get this!”, 3) blessed moments of creativity, supplementing the online instruction with art projects, podding with a few select close friends, a spontaneous bike trip through town.

Loading bricks is hard work, for sure. Parenting is hard work, for sure.  And I’ve seen parents rise beyond the occasion, grow themselves as parents as they hold to the larger vision of their children learning, growing, thriving.

Not easy. Deep bows. And gratitude for the fortitude to see and strive for the cathedral.

Wisdom & inspiration direct to your inbox