On Saturday, we watched a movie called "The Croods".
It was a good movie with a good message, and I appreciated how it
focused on the family and showed the importance of unity in the family
and how
that can be achieved. There was one
thing that got me thinking. The father
of the family sees it as his responsibility to protect the family, so
his motto
is "Never not be afraid". He
recites this to his family, and they recite it back. And it has kept
them safe, whereas other
families have not been so lucky. Yet
there was one scene where the family is separated, and they are trying
to find
their way through a maze of tunnels to be reunited on the other side.
One of the children, the rebellious daughter
who has always fought against her father's mantra, has no trouble
navigating
the tunnels, even delights in what she finds along the way. Her
brother, however, who tried very hard to follow in his father's
footsteps
and make him proud, has a moment where he seems paralyzed by the fear
that his
father has instilled in him. As a matter
of fact, before they head through the tunnels, the father again
reiterates,
"Never not be afraid", and the son hears it and stops, wondering what
to do. New was bad for them, so he was
afraid to take a step into the dark, to get through something new and
different
in order to find a better home for their family.
The thought that ran through my head was, "What have I
instilled in my children? Will it be a
help or a hindrance to them when they venture out on their own? Will my
words and my teachings help them to
make it through the maze of this world so that our family can be
reunited on
the other side?" I don't want our
teachings, our traditions, our family culture or habits to be a
stumbling block
for my children to progress and become the people they need to be. I
want them to be stepping stones that will
help them to find their way to be better than their parents, to be a
spring
board to help them soar to new heights that we haven't even imagined for
them. I want everything that I do to lead them to Christ, to help them
know that His love can change our lives. That is the great mission of
this phase of my life, and I need to do better. The scripture says,
"We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we
prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our
children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their
sins." (2 Ne. 25:26) Do my children know that I rely on the Lord in
times of trial, that I thank Him for His many blessings, that I turn to
Him when I feel like there is nowhere else to go? Do I incorporate the
example of the Savior in my life so that they know that I follow after
Him?
