Reflections of Ourselves

We have an 18 month old little boy who is at that state where he is copying everything he sees. We have started teaching him sign language because at his age it is easier for him to tell us what he wants using his hands rather than his words. I am utterly amazed at how quickly he learns, and he remembers. The other day he got into a box of DVDs ( something he is not supposed to be doing), got a DVD out of it’s case, took it over to my computer, pushed the button to open the cd drive, put the disk in and pushed it closed. I rarely use the cd drive on my computer, and yet he figured it out. Needless to say, I kept a closer eye on him after that.

The more I see him copying our behavior, the more I realize how much our children are reflections of ourselves. Sure they may develop their own personalities, but they draw the base of that personality from the environment and people they grow up with. Being a parent is an awesome responsibility, but it is also a great blessing and one that I am grateful for everyday.

I must admit that I do not often write poetry, but as I pondered the thoughts expressed above, I felt inspired to write the following.

As I gaze upon my mirror
That sits there on the shelf,
I see gazing back at me
A reflection of myself.

As I gaze upon my child
While he plays there on the floor,
I realize that this sweet boy
Reflects me even more.

The love I show him is returned,
My actions copied too.
For in the life of this my child,
My reflection is more true.