Growth that Ticks

         What makes us tick? Or more importantly, why do we even want to tick?  Everyone's answer is most likely different, and I can only speak for myself.  For me, it is truth.  So why am I searching for truth?  Truth has the power to bring happiness.  Many fear truth, anticipating their perceptions of their truth will bring some form of suffering.   This may be true, but it lies in our perceptions and our vision.  So how do we see what is true?  My first need was to be true to myself and dig deeper to find what is honest about my own nature that makes me want to grow.

          In our youth, growth is very fast and very visual.  We can look at ourselves and practically watch the measurements increase with the pencil-sketched lines on the corner of the wall.  As we grow older, growth is within. Our mind transforms into our own visual perception.  Only we can truly see our mental growth as adults.  Sure, we can buy material objects, live a certain lifestyle, produce children, receive career promotions, and create the imagery of growth as an adult.  But at the end of day, we are the only ones who can determine our adult growth.

          Perhaps the challenge of parenting is derived from the responsibility for the growth of our children as well as, and at the same time, ourselves.  In their early youth, children have not developed the tools to make choices as to how they should grow outside what is natural.  It is our responsibility as parents to help make these choices, as well as help them find and develop the tools to make these important choices as adults.  They will need the ability to become aware of who they want to be with and how they treat themselves and others.