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| by Ginger Plowman |
“Go to what you know.”
That’s one of my mom mantras.
Another is,
“How do YOU think it’s spelled?”
You know what I am talking about, those truths and principles you repeat to inculcate them into your kids, to give them what you believe they need to overcome obstacles and become productive people, people who can figure things out and stand on their own two feet. These are Mom (and Dad) mantras.
We remember some that our parents spoke into our lives.
“I used to walk 10 miles to school, up hill and in the snow.”
“We never got to do that when I was growing up.”
“Nothing good ever happens after midnight.”
“Chores first.”
Each of us has our own list, though some may be common to all if you are from similar cultures. The mantras are meant to instill in us perseverance, strength of character, wisdom. In my house, among the regular chanted mantras I used were messages about attitude.
“Attitude ‘A’ every day.”
"Be a blessing and be blessed.”
“What you practice you become.”
Your mantras say something about what you value, about what you believe contributes to a good life, about what influences you. Some of the mantras of our lives we don’t even realize are there. They may be subconscious, repeated messages in the recesses of our mind, but shining through who we are none the less. Sometimes others may hear what we don’t realize we repeat. These can be dangerous mantras because they may be shaping us with something harmful to our character.
It’s a good practice to occasionally do a mental check of the mantras we recite, to listen to that voice that speaks within us, the messages we let freely rerun on the screen of our minds. Listen as well to the ones we speak into the big wide world of our children’s futures. It wouldn’t hurt to check with loved ones. Ask if there mantras we are missing that may be having an ill-effect on us or those around us. We all have blind spots that we can use a little passenger assistance to see.
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| A to Z Challenge |
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ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your blog. Found it through the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Thanks also for the visit to my blog. I still hear many of the mantras that my parents used to say - so many of them ring true today. I used to spend quite a bit of time with my grandmother, too, and she had some doozies! Keep up the good work! www.dianeweidenbenner.com
ReplyDeleteAh Diane, yes so many ring true. I hear myself repeating many of my parents. I'd have loved to hear some of those doozies of your grandmother. Thanks for stopping by. God bless, Maria
DeleteGo To What You Know. I like that! Passing thru on the A-Z
ReplyDeletewww.lifesrideinbetween.blogspot.com
Thanks for coming by KT. Yes, that's a regular mantra here because I am a homeschooling mom and I want my kids to think. God bless, Maria
DeleteOooh my Mom has left me with plenty of good mantras. I have friends who love hearing them becasue she always has one up her sleeve for any occasion. One of my favorites, " 'Should have" is dead." Basically there is no should have.
ReplyDeleteLittleCely from LittleCely's Blog
I like that one too, Thanks for sharing. God bless, Maria
DeleteThe Mom Mantra that influenced me is one I said to myself following a rough childhood then passed on to my children and used in my home. "Stupid is a swear word and we do not use the S word in this house."
ReplyDeleteSorry--Yes, I'm from the A to Z challenge! My blog is: http:/blessedlittlecreatures.blogspot.com/
DeleteGood mantra, Darla. We should discourage those around us from using disparaging terms. Thanks again for your visits. God bless, Maria
DeleteI call them axioms, and I have lived by two of them:
ReplyDelete1) If you don't ask, you don't get.
2) There is no use being stupid if you can't show it now and then.
Axioms is a fine exchange but it doesn't work for the letter 'M'. Thanks for coming, Gregg. God bless, Maria
DeleteI love the nothing good ever happens after midnight. This is true! Something my dad said was, when people show you who they are, believe them. This has proven true in my life OVER and OVER!
ReplyDeleteHi Mare, What a great word to put in your ear and so true. I appreciate your dad's wisdom. Thanks for sharing it. God bless, Maria
ReplyDelete