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Build me a son

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
Build Me a Son, Oh Lord

Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge. Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.

Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain."

-General Douglas MacArthur
 

Cowboyjg

Country Club Member
Site Supporter
Boy....we're just comming out of the wood work with words and thoughts of inspiration.

Good aim Bri.
 

The Tourist

Banned
Ya' know, it sounds good, and there is no doubt that society as a whole would be a better place. Having said that...

I am not an ornament for my Father's ego. I am not a vicarious extention of his dreams and personal misgivings. I am not his 'second chance.'

My Father once told me--almost disheartedly--that I had the hands of watchmaker. This is known as a "dry hand man."

And he pushed, and he shoved and he bullied me into a college education I neither wanted or needed. And I lost out on all chances of being a craftsman. I had suffered this because at the very root, my Dad went to "Boys' Tech" in Milwaukee, as version of a 'community college.'

Now, I have come to terms with his fashion of rearing. I have come to learn that his father was a rather cold individual. Well, so be it.

But I will not be manipulated into a good conduct medal to worn with false pride.
 

Cowboyjg

Country Club Member
Site Supporter
Ya' know, it sounds good, and there is no doubt that society as a whole would be a better place. Having said that...

I am not an ornament for my Father's ego. I am not a vicarious extention of his dreams and personal misgivings. I am not his 'second chance.'

My Father once told me--almost disheartedly--that I had the hands of watchmaker. This is known as a "dry hand man."

And he pushed, and he shoved and he bullied me into a college education I neither wanted or needed. And I lost out on all chances of being a craftsman. I had suffered this because at the very root, my Dad went to "Boys' Tech" in Milwaukee, as version of a 'community college.'

Now, I have come to terms with his fashion of rearing. I have come to learn that his father was a rather cold individual. Well, so be it.

But I will not be manipulated into a good conduct medal to worn with false pride.

Although I can see how these deep rooted feelings you have would have been brought forth, I don't hear what you're saying being represented in those words. Quite the opposite, in fact, in that it speaks of strength and kindness and accountability. Nothing in the writing suggests that the vision is of a father who lives his life through his son.

That aside, it is an observation, of mine anyway, that many of our personal failures have come of the best intentions. I don't think there is a single parent that has not done what they could, in their own way, right or wrong, good or bad, to give their child something better. Some parents are just better at it than others and some, for all their efforts, were behind the 8 ball to begin with and didn't stand a chance.
 

The Tourist

Banned
to give their child something better.

And there my friends is the slippery slope.

Just who decides how "something better" manifests itself? My Dad's definition of 'freedom' was doing exactly what he had chosen. And trust me, you have no idea how cloying these people got.

Fortunately, I had my Grandfather's bloodlines, as well.

Now, if you're a father and you have a son, would you burden him with "the old school tie" and a life as clone, even if it made him unhappy?

What if you were a ranch-hand and your son decided to be a student of letters? Just where does this jibberish of the "wishbone will not be where his backbone" stuff come to a screeching halt?

I am a free standing human being. The Bible says, "And fathers, do not drive your sons to anger."

There's a reason for this, a very good one. If I could go back in time and counsel my mother in regards to the welfare of my brother I would have said simply, "Let him go."

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, EPH 6:4.
 

Cowboyjg

Country Club Member
Site Supporter
Just where does this jibberish of the "wishbone will not be where his backbone" stuff come to a screeching halt?"

In the context of the writing I suggest it refers to one having the stregth to be accountable for his choices and the choices he must make. Much like the son would choose to walk a path contrary to the one chosen by his father. Even if it made him unhappy.

If I could go back in time and counsel my mother on the welfare of MY brother, I would have told her to hold him tight to her bosom and feel the love he so needs her to give him. (Another story for another day)

It's amazing that for as complicated a creature we humans are, we screw up some of the simplist stuff.
 

The Tourist

Banned
The assumption here is that the 'father' wants the best for his son.

My Grandfather lived with my aunt and routinely had to protect their son from his own father, who beat him quite severely.

My parents would have stripped any freedom from me, had they been given half a chance. In fact my mother used to threaten, "We're going to change that way of thinking."

To her, you weren't even allowed your own private thoughts. Talk about Big Brother and the 'thought police.'

You know the adage, "It's the son who cuts the apron strings, never the mother."
 
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