Description
What is the greatest gift a parent could possibly give to a child? Would it be a life free of difficulties, devoid of tears and heartache? Would it be an effortless life where there are no trials and tribulations, everyone comes out a winner and the end result of each day concludes with a happily ever after ending? Core to our being as parents, there is an inclination to answer in the affirmative to these and related questions. However, drilling a bit deeper into our psyche we begin to see and understand a great paradox of life: as much as we'd wish it isn't so, a life without challenges and difficult lessons leaves a child without the skills, tools and the resiliency so necessary for living a full and meaningful life as a capable, well-adjusted, productive adult. A medical analogy makes the point: place a newborn into a hygienic bubble for a year then bring it forth into the real world and it will succumb quickly to diseases that will overtake its undeveloped immune system. Not all lessons have to be experienced first hand. One of the amazing capabilities of human beings is to learn from stories. Bigsbee is an excellent example of a story of possibilities, transformed into reality. This little hero and his friends are flawed and imperfect. He is prone to trip over his own imperfections and struggle where life hands out a full measure of heartache. But he also is fortunate to have a loving and caring mother and friends. He has values and values what he has. Bigsbee is a mixture of perseverance, courage, kind heartedness and certain strengths that ultimately lead him to fly both literally and figuratively. What's the greatest gift you can ever give your child? It is a gift ofconsciousness, that with every decision you make regarding your parenting you ask yourself, "Is the consequence of the choice I'm about to make likely to help and enhance my child's life as he/she grows into adulthood, or will it take them down a path of a lesser life?" Bigsbee is an unusual and wonderful gift that teaches the difficult lessons of life in a manner that leads the young reader to greater wisdom and resiliency. Dr Dan Baker, Ph.D., Author of "What Happy People Know" and Director of the Life Enhancement Program at Canyon Ranch
