"MONDAY is the day of giving"

     "On Monday, we agree as parents to do the following things with our children: 1. Invite them to give one thing to someone else in the family.  2. Inspire them to receive graciously.  3. Share a brief ritual of gratitude for life's gifts".  -Deepak Chopra, _The Seven Spiritual Laws for Parents_

     This is a little book I picked up while pregnant and meant of course to implement RIGHT AWAY.  I would meditate with my newborn.  I would be the model of gracious "please" and "thank you" and talk to her about gratitude even if she didn't understand.  I would, simply because I needed to be the model, suddenly become all of the spiritual things I read and talk about.  I would, because I was leading by example, be in the now, connected to the source, intensely present, and of course, always calm and radiant.

    One thing I love about a spiritual journey, versus participating in an organized religion, is the framework.  A journey is framed in the unknown.  There isn't a destination, there aren't any answers, only inquiry, seeking, and growth and transformation.  Ideally, this is the case in organized religion too, and for theology students it might be true, but organized religion has always seemed to me to have all the answers, finite, the end, period.  So I'm not beating myself over the head for failing to instantly transform into Spiritual Parent of the Month, because I can share with my daughter the process of seeking, of inquiry.  Of discovering that Monday is the day of Giving.

     Today with my daughter, I will model "please" and "thank you" with meaning.  That is how I will inspire her to receive graciously.  I will start to use the word "share" and model sharing (yum, Baby Puffs for Mommy!).  And on our walk today, I will talk about how lucky we are to live someplace we can be with nature.

     Share with me! How will you inspire your children to give today?  I would love to know other parents' ideas for kids of all ages!