I have been so blessed with the people I have been blessed to know on this journey… Two of them are the Burton Brother from livingondubiously.com… They have one of the most amazing CF blogs out there… I first fell in love with their blog about Parenting a CF Warrior… I shared it with every parent I know and to this day, I am constantly asked about it… So I want to post it here on our blog spot… Though I want to give credit where credit is due, so please take a visit to their site and see for yourself… Please enjoy the  articles…

 

PARENTING A WARRIOR WITH CF

By Evan Burton

            The single most rewarding experience in many people’s lives will be the gift of raising children. That being said, the most fruitful things in our lives are often the most difficult. When my mom and dad decided to have kids, they never could have imagined the hardships and tribulations that would be placed before them. It was the amazing power of intention and positivity that made my parents so successful in crafting two of the strongest little warriors the world would ever see.

 It was when my brother was two and my mom was pregnant with me, that little Spence started experiencing some strange symptoms. After taking him to several different doctors for his unexplained digestion problems, he was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. When I was born it was their natural inclination to have me tested, which proved to be the same diagnosis. In being forced to deal with such a bleak outlook of our disease, and rejecting the current idea that Cystic Fibrosis was a death sentence, my parents developed a parenting style which they believed would give us the power to manifest our own outcome and write the pages to our own life.

 The Amazing Power of the Mind

 “Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

- Mahatma Gandhi

 An emphasis on the infinite potential and power of each and every human being is of the utmost importance, if one intends on laying the groundwork for a life of success for their child. The importance of enforcing this outlook cannot be overlooked, for it will be the single most important tool in your arsenal if you wish for your child to overcome adversity and gain control over their health. When I was a child there was one thing that my mom would tell me that always stuck out in my mind. She would sit me down and tell me that I had the ability to do absolutely anything and everything that I wished to do in my life, as long as I believed I could do it. She went on to say that my disease was only there to teach me an important life lesson, just like everything else in this world, and that I could overcome it as long as I took the lesson that it was there to show me.

 I can remember days where I would sit out on the lawn for hours and try to levitate, thinking that I could do anything that I wanted to as long as I believed it. When I told my mom about my failed attempts, she would say that of course I could fly if I tried hard enough, but that it would take a long time and that it might be a better idea to focus my concentration onto something more productive. I started dreaming big and becoming obsessed with the possibilities that lay before me. I knew that I would grow up to make a difference in the world. I thought about becoming the President of the United States or becoming a famous scientist or doctor that would cure diseases. I dreamt about becoming a famous musician or artist that would spread my love and vision throughout the world. I fully believed that I could do any of these things and that my disease would not dictate my place in this world. In fact, I didn’t even think about my disease too often. It was never made a big deal by my parents, so I didn’t see it as a big deal either. It was just a part of who I was, and something I was forced to overcome.

 When I was around 15 years old my parents told me a story of great importance that would further strengthen my belief in the power of positive thought. The story was about some friends of theirs’ whom also had a child with Cystic Fibrosis. They were extremely religious people who, upon their child’s diagnoses, said to her that she was going to have some hard times with her disease. They said not to worry though, because if she died that she would go to heaven and be taken care of by god. It wasn’t until her late teens that she passed away and her parents’ prophecy fulfilled itself. My parents believed it was their friends’ negative outlooks that lead to their daughter’s eventual death, despite their best intentions. They were merely unaware of the amazing power of suggestion and the possibility of another way. It was when my brother and I were very young that she passed away so our parents decided to keep this story secret from us in order to uphold the outlook that they wanted us to have.

 I can remember my mom pointing out famous people on T.V. and saying that they had Cystic Fibrosis, just like me. She would say that despite having this disease, they were still successful and healthy and they didn’t let it stop them from anything. To this very day I cannot find information on these people sharing my same disease, and I suspect that my mom made some of these things up in order to give me a belief in the longevity and success of my life. I would not have ever wanted my mom to change the way she did things because these were the things that gave me hope. These were the things that solidified my belief in my own infinite potential and my power to be anything I wanted to be.

 The Importance of Love above All Else

 There will be times in every child’s life when it seems like they are falling off of the right path and acting in a way that you don’t feel is right. It is important for you to never react in anger because this is not what your child is lacking. When you react in anger, your child is more likely to want to rebel against your wishes. The best way to light the path for your child is through unconditional love and being an upstanding example for them. If you feel as though you might know what’s best for your child in terms of their life path then you need to take a step back and look at the real picture. Forcing them to go to college or to pursue a specific life path can be very damaging to them and only delay the discovery of their true life path. The best way to help them grow into the amazing adult that you want them to be is by supporting them through thick and thin and letting them know that you believe in the fact that they will be successful in whatever they put their minds to.

 Love is the main lacking factor in a troubled child’s life. The more love that is offered, the stronger foundation and confidence your child will have on which to build their life of health, wealth, wisdom, and happiness. Part of being a warrior is learning to know what tools to use in order to effectively inspire others to their greatest potential. Although a small amount of tough love is sometimes necessary, the mostly negative aspects of anger, guilt, judgment, and manipulation can never be effective. We must always focus on the transformational tools of positive reinforcement, support, understanding, and above all else: Love.

 An Example to Learn From

 My life has been a direct reflection of the love and support that my parents laid before me. My confidence and success in life can be credited to the positive outlook that was given to me at an early age. There has never been a moment in my life that I doubted my ability to overcome my disease or find happiness and success in life.

 Today I am 23 years old and I am experiencing great success in pursuing my dream of becoming a professional musician. My brother and I have toured the country with our band Indubious and began to spread our message to the world. Our first album is due for a 2008 release and you can check www.indubiousmusic.com for more info. I have supported myself by working part time in the real estate industry, which has given me the financial freedom to support the following of my dreams. My brother and I decided to created www.livingindubiously.com  in order to inspire other people to overcome adversity in their life and realize their true potential.

 Today my health is better than ever and I owe it all to my positive outlook and motivation that pushes me to take great care of my body. I go snowboarding, biking, running, hiking, play sports and work out. I have never let my disease hold me back from anything and I can keep up with whatever life throws at me. My outlook for the future is bright and I couldn’t be more content with my life. In order to raise a warrior you must first become one yourself.