Most everyone prefers a sunny day to a gloomy overcast or windy one. A bright, sunny day can easily be translated into fun; leisure, shopping, or hanging out with friends, maybe taking the kids to the park.
Can you remember as a child how much fun playing outdoors with friends, riding bikes, skating, laying on the grass laughing and laughing until you practically choked?
The memories come to mind as you remember those fun times. These are far from the gloomy, rainy, storming, or snowing days when you couldn’t play outside.
As children, we are taught there will be sunny days, rainy days, and others. Yes through our growth and development, we also learn that life events will mimic those same weather patterns. I recall some of the “character building” lessons my mother and grandmother taught. They would use analogies, short stories, and plain face facts to teach this to me and my siblings.
I will always remember hearing, “If you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything,” and “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Of course there were biblical references, using quotes from the 10 Commandments, or other prophetic sayings.
I watched how they acted, listened to how they talked to others. Through all of this, I learned about character; that I needed to stand tall and stand firm, not just when there was no turmoil, but especially when the winds of dissent were swirling. I learned how it was different for different people.
I learned that character was my foundation; it was what defined me. I owe those parents for what I learned early about life’s changes and challenges, for teaching me to set a foundation that had maintained me through life.
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