Heart4kidsadvocacyforum's Blog

Tuesday- Day 16: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: (Blessing)

For many of us we have a ritual that is done through our religious and cultural expressions rituals to bless the new life of an infant.  I always see this as a way for a family and faith community, or an ethnic community, taking the responsibility to not just welcome the new soul, but to take on an active sense of accountability to guide, protect, and nurture that soul from birth to their transition to the heavenly realm.  It is an evolving each and every day of that soul’s earthly experiences.  I always get a sense of ease and security in my “spirit” when I know that this ritual of blessing the infant has taken place in a child’s life. 

It is also a way of thanking “Great Spirit” or what aligns with that family’s beliefs, for the gift of that child’s life.  Gratitude for the blessing of life is critical in our relationship with that child.  It sets the stage for that child’s relationships and their self-worth which is reflected in their self-respect. Our dream for each other should be that everyone is abl to live a blessed life experience of goodness, mercy, compassion, love, and peace.  These blessings are elements of our birth right.  To walk through life feeling the many ways and times you have been blessed is a gift. 

When we are children we just faithfully, not even knowing why or what that means, operate under the protection of the blessings that cover our lives.  I believe when parents, family members, and the intimate community that interacts with a child, identifies the blessings in their own life, and demonstrates how those blessings impact their lives, we are fulfilling our responsibility to them. 

“Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings see what “Great Spirit” has done.  Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings see how blessed your life has become.”