I'm a believer in the Taoist notion of "right mindfulness", i.e. check up from the neck up, think before speaking, get behind your words, live intentionally, let actions speak for themselves, it's not the size of the tool it's how you use it, WWJD, yes we can, etc etc....
And if I cannot get together the right mindfulness, I at least hope to be good, to be kind and to be just. I hope that I might set an example for my o-so-quickly growing daughter, if not myself.
And then, if I can't even muster up the basics of goodness, kindness and justice, then I'll follow the dictum: Fake it 'til you make it. In other words, act like I've got it together until I actually do have got it together, and I'll give it all I got anyways, because really I'm never going to have that time again and if I don't give 'er (to borrow from my Canadian friends' vocabulary) I'm just going to be spinning around in the confusion.
I find that parenting sometimes requires me to fake it till I make it. So many new and unexpected twists and turns of delight and mystery occurring that I don't fully comprehend, nor can I direct the outcome. This is a good thing, despite the feeling that not all my tires are on the ground at all times.
The Maestro, Fangio provides the example here. With grace, eloquence and a measured strength behind the wheel, he maintained control and composure even in the midst of some pretty turbulent moments during his Formula 1 racing career.
I hope that I too might keep it on the track with such attributes for the many successes and failures I am sure to share with my child in the years to come. Thank you Fangio for the example, and thank you my daughter for the opportunity.
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