Eight Groaks

I bet when you looked at the title you went..."HUH????"  I had an uncle who was somewhat of a wordsmith.  He appreciated wordage, and particularly funny wordage.  He had some favorites and one he liked to use was a play on words from an old saying.  It went like this:  "eight groaks from little growcorns ache."  The version he so enjoyed came from a saying that has been around for a long time..."great oaks from little acorns grow."

I enjoy the looks of a majestic oak tree.  To me, they are simply beautiful.  Whether leafless in winter with snow all around, or fully leaved out in the wonderful spring greenery, they are just beautiful.  And each one, no matter how big, how nice, or how misshapen or ugly (there are some) come from one little acorn.

Speaking of trees, there is another adage that has been around for quite a while:  "as the twig is bent, so shall the tree grow".  Getting confused yet?  Not sure where this is going?  That's fair.  So, since the blog is about being better men, husbands, and fathers, let's be a little bit creative here:

• you are a mature oak tree
• you produce acorns...seeds
• from those acorns (seeds) come children

Getting the picture?  Your children can grow to be great.....or not.  Like it or not, that is up to you as a parent.  Remember "as the twig is bent, so shall the tree grow"?  Your kids will emulate you more than you can ever realize.  And more than any of us ever realize...especially when they are small and we are looking in wonderment at their amazing individuality.  Don't be fooled....we parents play a huge, huge role in how they grow up, and often that role is passive in nature....they are always looking at us and observing us.

 

So that begs the question, yes? Are your kids going to be "eight groaks" or "not so eight groaks"?  We all need to understand that the answer lies entirely within ourselves, and how we grow them.