A Mother, A Father--Waiting

“The memory of a mother waiting is a safeguard against temptation.”

A mother, a father⎯a parent⎯who cares enough to wait and worry, who cares enough to counsel and be concerned⎯is among the greatest blessings God has given. Of course young people may be impatient and wonder why parents want to know⎯need to know⎯where they go, what they do, the kind of company they keep: their activities, attitudes, and interests, and the course of life they intend to take. But in the complexity of our problems it becomes increasingly apparent that a loving healthy, happy family is one of the most steadying factors in life and one of the surest sources of safety.

There are always temptations⎯always there are those who coax and dare and try to persuade young people to depart from safe principles and practices. There are evils and errors, heartaches and heartbreaks, wasted time and wasted lives. And in young people there is always a measure of independence, of wanting to strike out to see and decide for themselves, which is altogether understandable.

But you who are young: Don’t misjudge the motives of parents, or their experiences or responsibility, or their cause for concern. In the words of one earnest writer: “Children do not know how their parents love them, and they never will till the grave closes over those parents, or till they have children of their own.” It is part of the responsibility of parents to teach, to train, to help prevent the making of mistakes, and to help youth prepare for a useful, happy future without the bitterness or penalties that come from ignoring principles that have long been proved in the past. And it would be improper for parents not to know their children’s plans and purposes.

There may be irritations and irksome restrictions at times, or so it may seem. But in looking back there will be great gratitude for those who helped in avoiding serious, time-wasting, heartbreaking mistakes.

“The memory of a mother [or a father] waiting is a safeguard against temptation.”