What I Want My Kids to Know When I Die

4. Life was not meant to be lived alone; let people in.

Human beings are wired for connection. We just are. Deep down in every single one of us is the desperate need to be seen, heard and understood, all by-products of connection. That twinge of unease you feel when someone misunderstands you is that longing for connection. The ache in the pit of your stomach when you desperately want to be noticed is that longing for connection. The hurt you feel when you don’t get invited to the biggest party at school is that longing for connection.

And that longing for connection does not mean you are flawed. It does not mean there is something wrong with you. It means you are human. Trust that longing. Pay attention to your feelings. Follow your heart. And most of all, let people in. You are never alone, despite how lonely you may feel. Reach out, talk to others. Make yourself vulnerable. Two souls sharing a moment of connection is what life is about; embrace those moments.

5. You are not exempt from the Human experience. And the human experience is riddled with pain.

Humans are not guaranteed a pain-free existence. In fact, quite the opposite. You will experience pain. You will grieve. You will experience heartache. Things will happen in your life, unexpected, unexplainable, excruciating things, that will leave you devastated and cause you to question everything you know to be true. That’s okay. It’s all part of the experience.

But hear this, sweet child: You did nothing wrong. The presence of pain in your life does not mean you are living a bad/immoral/unjust life. Pain is nothing other than part of the human experience. People will try to tell you that good deeds and sound faith can buy your way out of tragedy. That’s simply not true. Tragedy will happen in your life and it will not be your fault. It will not be deserved. But you can choose to handle it with grace, dignity and a whole lot of faith because responding to tragedy in a way that inspires others will bring purpose into your pain.

Don’t let the world rob you of who you were created to be. Don’t let the people around you jade your perception of humanity. And don’t let your pain be your excuse to shut the world out. Hold tight to what you know. Believe in yourself. Love others fiercely. Be the good you see in the world.

By Christine Suhan 

About the Author: Christine Suhan is a wife, stay at home mother to three wild toddler boys and writer/creator at www.feelingsandfaith.net. She has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy and enjoys helping people through openly and honestly sharing her journey of life, recovery, mental illness, marriage, parenting and more. You can also find her on her Facebook page.