BUCKET LIST

As the sun danced on the waves a mother pulled her son into the water; he had a small blue pail in his hands and as hard as she was tugging towards the waves, he was fighting to go back to shore. I could hear her screaming at him: “Come on, we need to fill your pail.” The image haunted me: the struggle of the little boy to avoid collecting things he didn't want anyways.

Down the beach a bit there was another mother with a tiny toddler- she was so much braver. She had no agenda and her child stood independent and free- falling when the waves crashed over her and picking herself up again while her guardian hovered near by.

 I wonder what we try to put in other people's buckets and what our expectations are for them? We live in relationship with one another, but I cannot be filling your bucket and you cannot expect to give me a list of what you want me to put in my bucket. This rings through our whole lives. We look for the approval of our parents long after they have left this earth- sure that if we do this one thing or succeed in that way we will be special to them and find our value. And on it goes to the next generation, even silent expectations wreck havoc in our families' lives.

As I was heading back toward my little pile of beach things I saw a son fall down (he had no pail) and his father gently picked him up and kissed the top of his head. It was simple, sweet, sensitive and restored the child's balance in every way.

Is this the gesture of our lives- to bless, to, “kiss the tops of the heads” of those we know? And do we feel the Father's embrace as He kisses the crown of our heads as well?

Medicine from Sacred Scripture:

"May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live." Psalm 119:76