Peace of their mind

Like most parents, I would love for my children to believe everything I believe, like everything I like, and validate and endorse all my infallible opinions and views.

Of course that doesn't happen. In matters of faith, one of my children is close to my beliefs. Close, but not identical. She is investigating many other faith systems; the old “compare and contrast”. My sons are both at the stage where they are deciding if any religion is correct if there is a God, and if there is what is our place in the universe and so on.

Politically, again my daughter is closest to my views. But on some social issues we are miles apart. My geopolitical views are, in some respects, anathema to her. One of my sons is interested in politics but seems to feel that both major parties are corrupt and too partisan to affect any real change in our governmental system. His views rang from moderate to liberal leaning to libertarian to socialistic (he has the Philosophy degree: no easy answers but many questions). My other son seems less interested in politics in general but what views he does hold seem to be more Libertarian that anything else.

Music tastes are all over the place. For the one that likes country another hates it. For the one that likes pop another thinks its boring. For the one that likes classic rock another finds anything recorded before 1999 to be too old-fashioned. And they like many things I find very little interest in; world music, alt rock, classical, metal, and so on.

But, my point is, (and I do have one), is that I am extremely proud of their opinions. I would be very disappointed if they had not come to these decisions on their own. They are all three brilliant, and refuse to accept anything just because they are told to. They challenge orthodoxy. They seek out answers to questions, refusing easy answers and looking behind facile points. Their opinions are their own. As they should be. A strong conviction is based on personal seeking and thought, in some cases deep soul searching. It is not something you can outsource.

We don't argue: we debate. “Because I say so!” is not allowed. You must justify your view. I am usually at a distinct disadvantage at this, as most of my beliefs were formed over decades, but that doesn't make them more valid than anyone else's. And even I, on occasion, change a long held opinion. Even old dogs...

So bless you kids. You make me proud to be your Dad.

However, Neil Diamond is one of the all-time greats! I'm not bending on this.