Parenting the Child Within

Suppose you were to have a child, what would you tell her? Would you whisper to her that anything is possible, that dreams and magic can be real? Or would you caution her to tread carefully, to prepare for compromises, to understand the boundaries of what might be possible and what might not?

The truth is, parenting doesn’t begin when you hold a life in your hands. It begins with the child within. The one who still believes, still dreams, and still aches. That child matters. Your body matters. Your family, your emotions, the stories and songs—they all matter. Life itself matters. 

Life matters. So don’t give up just because it feels tough now. This moment is not forever, and what seems insurmountable today will shrink to its true size when you face it. Ocean though it may seem, it’s just a puddle. And yes, you’re the only one who can pull yourself out of it. 

As for me, it's time to show the universe that these things matter to me—not just in words but in choices. Choices that align with what I claim to believe. Choices that empower rather than weaken me. Stop sending out conflicting signals, pretending to be someone small, miserable, or helpless. That’s not me.

I have been unnecessarily squeezing yourself into a role of self-pity, forcing myself to live smaller than I am. Why? It’s time to be me—the authentic, unapologetic me.

It's time to enjoy life as it comes: the urges, the deprivations, the freedom, the pain. Let it cleanse me. Feel the pulse of my heart as it dances to the emotional weather of the world around me. Savor every storm, every sunrise, every quiet night. And while I live to do all this, keep writing.

So I need to begin again, with a clean slate. Forgive—not to forget but to free yourself from the chains of the past. Only unconditional forgiveness can make room for the magic I'll need to unleash. Only then can I show my child—the one within and the one in my lap —how a magician works.

I need to take responsibility. Parent the child within and express the man I am meant to be. Boldness isn’t always about taking action. Sometimes it’s about letting my feelings sink into my being, dissolving and reshaping me. And then, when the moment comes, expressing them. This life, this moment, even this struggle—it’s a sign. A reminder that I am meant to take charge of my house, my family, my self. 

I would like to end with a didactic whisper to Zen (the child I am holding in my lap) - Best of luck, mon ami. Luck favors the bold, and boldness is a kind of surrender, a willingness to live fully. Be ready to feel, to forgive, and to create. And never forget: You are enough.