Our lives as parents must not be about perfection, but about the courage of affection. We live our affection clearly and courageously through confession of the following, and we must do so imperfectly because that is the nature of life. Remember that affection is no simple word. It means to be open to being affected, i.e., touched in heart and moved to action. And confession does not just mean to admit being wrong. It means to live in the “fessing up” to being human, i.e., not God.

1. I am only older than you, not made differently.
2. This is my first time through life, too, so I am also learning how to live it.
3. I am a child of God, growing up one day at a time.
4. I don’t have all the answers, but I have learned a great deal from the experiences of living longer.
5. I have all the feelings and all the needs that you have.
6. I need your cooperation.
7. I will do all I can to love you and stay with you.
8. I know who gives me such freedom to love and suffer love, the one who will always stay with me.
9. He can do more than we can ask or imagine.
10. I can show you the struggle in life to keep heart. That is my best. My best will also leave me open to seeking forgiveness.