A Good Parenting Story

You know how sometimes you hear something and it just sticks with you for a long time? I think this story will be like that for me.

A friend's son was joining the school's Spring Break field trip to Europe and asked if he could bring along the family's new digital camera.
Now this son is notorious for breaking and losing items of value so his parents were very hesitant to send their new camera overseas with him. But they also knew that if he didn't take a camera with him, he would not only be disappointed, a certain element of the travelling eperience would be lost to him.

But they also knew that if they did decide to let him take the camera along, they would have to be Ok with the likelihood that he would not be bringing it back home. They would have to accept the responsibility of allowing an accident prone child to take an expensive piece of equipment on a trip.

So they told him he could pack it.
And they wrote a letter which they gave to one of the coordinating teachers at the airport. "If our son loses or breaks his digital camera while in Europe, please give him this envelope."

The letter said:
Dear Son,
If you are reading this letter it is because the camera has been misplaced or broken. Don't worry about it. We love you and want you to enjoy the rest of the trip. Love dad and mom.

Three days after he left, he sent home an e-mail.
Hi mom and dad. My teacher gave me your letter today. Love you.





Turns out someone's water bottle leaked and the camera ended up sitting in a puddle. Drenched. Soaked. Dripping.

The miracle of it all is that, in the end, the camera still worked.

And, two years later, is still working.





Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Friends who share the stories of their lives.
2. Skin that tans easily.
3. Days with no rain.


Shalom,