Recently I was talking about consciousness with an older, enlightened man. I asked him if we brought the teachings of consciousness to our children—to all children—if we could actually achieve world peace.
“Wouldn’t it be great,” I mused, “If we could teach our children about how to be enlightened early in life, so that they don’t have to go through the suffering caused by the journey?”
I admitted that, as a mother, my anxiety about causing my children suffering was sometimes overwhelming.
His response was discouraging and relieving at the same time. He suggested that we are all souls who come to the earth for a moment in time. We are destined to be wounded in the exact way that we need to be wounded so that we can discover and fulfill our purpose.
I thought about that. My wounds are deep, but entirely accidental. They were not inflicted by evil parents or intentional wrongs. They were passing comments, barely noticeable by others who bore witness to them.
The scars they left are precisely what created the beauty in me. They are why I strive to be more, better, courageous. They are marks that, if I can embrace them, can move me toward my courageous self.
I talked with my kids about this because I thought it might introduce them to the journey they will be taking in life. “Kids,” I said, “You are perfect souls put here on earth. You are paired with the parents you were meant to have, and everything that happens to you is meant to be. At some point, I will wound you. It will be an unintentional act. It will be something like me telling you ‘you’re really smart’ or, ‘you’re being naughty.’ This will stick with you and begin to define who you are.”
“The 'wound' you experience is meant for you to have in your life. It is not something that either of us will have any awareness of until you are much older. But when you see it, it will be clear that is the key to unlocking your true greatness.”
My kids listened intently…more quietly than ever before. Well, their mother just told them she was going to wound them! Of course they had keen ears!
Then I gave some examples. And I think in a way, they saw. The wisdom in their souls knew that it was going to be okay and that this was part of the glorious life journey we all take. Someday I hope they will remember this talk and (after they forgive me) be bold and courageous enough to step into the awakening.