Thought for today

Helen Chantry writes: "A piece of graffiti I like is:

"To do is to be" Satre

"Do be do be do" Sinatra

I am often asked what my children want to do after studying; "they don't yet know" is my reply. It used to be young children wanted to be train drivers, but now it is more likely to be football players, film stars or astronauts.

"There comes a time when what we do for a living is less important, but perhaps that means the question we should focus on, whatever our age, is not "what do you want to do?", but "what do you want to be?"

"It seems that what many in our society want is to be famous and will do almost anything to be on TV or in a magazine; for others their desire is to be healthy, wealthy or happy.

"While I have no strong feelings on what my children will do, the answer to the question "What do I want my children to be?" is quite different: the answer is "someone who knows they are loved and then to be loving, generous and wise."

"And this will not change, it is the same whatever they do with their lives. I hope and pray they will know they are loved, by God and by others, and then be loving, generous and wise in the way they relate to other people and the world in which they live.

"But what do YOU want to be?

This question is relevant whatever age we are."

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