Sunday, January 3, 2010

Hopes and Dreams




To many of us life is a gift and is a mystery as well. We are fortunate to have this wonderful opportunity and in life it seems we have the opportunities and chances that not everyone has. It seems the world can be an unfair place for some. If you can see the pain and suffering of starving children and emaciated women who are desperate to save their children you will realize how fortunate you are. I can never quite understand the dichotomy that separates affluent from poverty stricken. It seems we are born into circumstance and some have it better than others but the so called reality is that we all can effect change and we are all responsible for what we do with our lives. It still is very sad that some don't even have the opportunity to go to school. Some children live in such poverty that for them school is out of reach which is truly tragic. Life for these who suffer is more a tragic existence that seems to have no positive outcome. This is the harsh reality of life and for me it has contributed to my own feelings of personal guilt in my own life for I have from time to time felt sorry for myself. I hate to look upon the suffering of others to help me realize how lucky I am but it is true that we are so much more fortunate in life and we do know where our next meal is coming from.

As young children we need nourishment, love, encouragement, nurturing, guidance and safety. We are influenced by our surroundings and we are dependent on our parents for everything. We learn as we grow and go to school and as we mature we start to formulate our own identity and learn about ourselves. Life is about self exploration and learning and becoming a person with ideas, hopes and dreams. We as parents must always remember to keep our children's hopes and dreams alive. It is essential that our children have hope even when things seem difficult. Life is a challenge and a blessing and in life it is so important to have faith in God and a belief in yourself. In order to believe in yourself you have to develop self confidence and have vision and have trust in your abilities and in making proper choices. Sometimes we have to make mistakes along the way but that is a big part in how we learn.

I remember my own childhood and having ideas and wishes as a kid. As an 8 year old I remember my first dream coming true as I remember asking for it and actually realizing it. The reality was that this dream was indeed beyond my control and had nothing to do with me but I wanted it anyway as did my mom and the dream was seeing the New York Mets beat the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series. When they won we were ecstatic and I was destined as a lifelong Mets fan. Another thing that amazed me and my family in the same year was watching Neil Armstrong walk on the moon's surface and hearing his famous quote, "That's one small step for man and one giant leap for mankind." This was a moment that resonated with me and gave me the ability to in fact dream and hope for accomplishing life goals.

When my son was born and I held him in my arms I was realizing my biggest dream as a husband and now father and I was so proud and happy. I had so many incredible feelings I was experiencing and I was just so elated that it took me time to take it all in. As a young father I realized how important it is for us to provide for our children like our parents did for us. I knew how important it is to give our child all the things our parents gave us. I also realized that we are our children's first teachers and we hold the key to their dreams and visions. We should always encourage our children and always help them through difficult moments. Our biggest responsibility to our children is being there for them and listening to them. When we see our child grow and make progress we are so delighted and when we know our child is autistic those accomplishments mean so much more. It is a joy to see our children develop their own personality and flourish, blooming and making strides.

The most important thing we can offer our children is the hope and promise of a bright future with as much certainty as possible. It is so important for our children to dream, hope and have vision in their lives so they too can go out into the world and take on the many challenges of life.

Matty, Our biggest wish for you is for you to accomplish all the goals you set forth in your life, that you realize true happiness in your life, that you graduate from college and enjoy a rewarding career and that you meet a nice girl and have a family of your own.

Your loving parents,

Edward D. Iannielli III
Maria Jesusa Iannielli

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Please feel free to read my writings and leave a kind message or suggestion. Thank you. Emily