Part Four: Harmony Within the Family
important to effectively instill gratefulness in our children so
that they will behave in that manner to us. We should instill
our parent's virtues into our own children, so that they will
learn from their acts of kindness and generosity. They will
then know that a grateful person must treat his parents with
respect, care, and love.
How, then, do we prepare ourselves to be parents worthy
of our children's respect? We have diligently earned our
livelihood and are well-prepared for our elderly years so that
we can depend on ourselves without help from others. Our
behavior and manners are well-adjusted; we know that we
will not be a burden to our children. We have been generous,
kind, and have practiced meditation, for example. We have
always tried to raise our children with a sense of morality and
we have read and told them both spiritual and worldly stories
that were valuable and useful. We have helped them lead
their lives in an honest and responsible way, not interfering
in their lives because we have assumed that they know how
to handle responsibility in their own family.
Later, when we fall ill and die, we will trust that our
children will be excellent caretakers of our estates, both
small and large. They will prepare for their own funerals with
accumulated savings, performing their own boonya-making
activities before they die. They, too, will lead their lives
mindfully every day. And when that last day comes, they will
look back and be proud of what they have accomplished. We
can clearly see that knowledge, integrity, and wisdom will
help us lead a productive, happy life so that we are readily
prepared for old age.
Family Day By Day
109
In Their Final Days