The Five "G's"

Something I try to inculcate into my two beautiful daughters is the Five G’s.

Not that I expect them to possess the ability to behave this way 100% of the time, but I hope they’ll think about these qualities before they act or react in situations:

All I want is that they both strive to be:

Good—behave well, don’t retaliate, even if it is attractive to do so.

Gracious—give the other person the benefit of the doubt; allow for different opinions; don’t always need to be the one who is right.

Grateful—be thankful for the things you do have, not greedy for those you don’t. Not only the material things, but intangibles: your family, the fact that you are so very much loved, that you have friends, you are getting a good education, you are in good health, and you have such a rich life.

Gentle—be gentle to others, especially animals and those at both ends of the age spectrum. Don’t judge others; you don’t live their lives nor do you know what issues and pains they endure on a daily basis. People won’t always be gentle to you, but it’s important to strive for gentility in our daily lives.

Generous—give to others freely. Giving to others gives us energy for ourselves, provides us with an undeniable richness in our hearts. The Christian Bible says it is better to give than to receive, and it’s true. While it’s fun to receive gifts and help from others, it’s so much a deeper feeling of joy to be able to give to others, especially those truly in need.

I really believe deep in my heart that if we all strive for these qualities, we’d live in an all around much better world.