Jack Preston King
Jul 24, 2017 · 1 min read

Touchingly said, Anna. I’d add that parenting is transformative. I’ve learned lessons and gained maturity being a father that I can’t imagine learning or gaining any other way. Before I was a parent, I didn’t even know the lessons existed, or that they were part of what it meant to mature. Like watching my son being born. I could read a thousand books and hear a million lectures on humility, but they would be as nothing before actually being in the presence of a real miracle like that, then having them hand this brand new living person over and say “OK, take him home. Now you’re responsible. Not only for feeding, clothing and housing this new human, but for teaching him how to be a decent human being, how to live, work, love, care. The difference between right and wrong and how to want to live the right.” Then all the years of doing whatever it takes to live up to that. Parenting is a crucible in which we are refined. A person can spend half a lifetime doing zen meditation to see through the illusion of self-important ego. Or just become a parent and really give it your all. Self-importance gone…

    Jack Preston King

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