I want a good world and a good life for my children and future grandchildren. What does this good world and good life look like?
A world that provides the essential ingredients for good living for ALL people
I want a world where everyone has the essential ingredients for good living. Those ingredients include the basic needs for healthy living as well as the ingredients of acceptance and freedom to be who you are as long as you are not harming or hurting others. I believe this is possible. It is the great math equation of our time.
A world where we respect and preserve our natural resources
Our natural resources are amazing, and we need those resources to survive and to be inspired. I want a world where we work to preserve those natural resources in every way and a world where those resources are ready and available to all people for survival, inspiration, and recreation.
Acknowledge their gifts
I want my children to find their purpose in life. I want them to acknowledge their unique and powerful gifts; develop those gifts, and share their gifts with others to promote best possible living.
Know their weaknesses
Just as they know their gifts, I want my children to acknowledge their weaknesses too. None of us are all things, and when we recognize our strengths as well as our weaknesses, we are able to live better. Knowing our weaknesses allows us to seek the help we need--the kind of help that allows us to be more fully human.
Love
I want my children to find people they can love as well as activity that they love too. To love is the ultimate experience in life, and I want my children to have deep and wonderful experiences of love.
Dreams
I want my children to dream. I want them to dream of the good life possible for themselves as well as ways they can contribute to the good lives of others and the world in general. Dreaming is an amazing power that leads to betterment. I want my children to dream.
Contribution
I want my children to make time to contribute to the greater world in ways that create betterment in meaningful and significant ways.
Humility
I want my children to have humility and lead their lives in humble ways.
Fun
I want my children to have fun in life. I want them to enjoy the wonder that life has to offer.
Family and Friends
I want my children to nurture loving relationships with friends and family.
Good health
I want my children to lead the kinds of lives that lead to good health. Good health is a great strength in life.
Resilience and Perseverance
Life throws us tough challenges time and again. I want my children to be able to meet those challenges with resilience. I want them to see these challenges as the learning opportunities that they are, and be able to get the help they need to surmount the challenges they face. I want my children to be able to persevere when life gets tough.
Honest, positive effort and endeavor
I want my children to work for honest, positive endeavor--I don't want them to work with or for entities that promote wrongdoing, greed, hate, injustice or harm.
In summary, I want my children to develop the kinds of traits and outlook that contribute to good living for themselves and others. it is not specifically what they do or don't do, but instead the way they journey in life that matters.