FW: WE NEED FATHERS TO STEP UP - By Barack Obama - PL SPEND 5 MINS TO READ 'COS IT IS WORTH IT

[Guest guest]

Dear

Friends: Here is a story that is uplifting the yogis worldwide in

increasing numbers. My story is all about the positive changes in

consciousness that I have seen across the USA and the world ever since

Barack Obama entered into the Presidential politics. His words and

deeds have started a bonfire in human consciousness in all areas of

values that rally matters to humanity today. His energy, enthusiasm,

quick mind, balanced intellect and broad philosophical and spiritual

outlook in life has affected almost everyone I see. We are all blessed

to have a leader of his calibre with his able wife at this critical

time of our nation as well as the world. To this end I want to share

the following poem (dedicated to this great man) that I wrote on

November, 2008 (the day at the Mile High) and revised recently.

 

Towards

the Mile High Hope*

Tushar K. Ray 04 05 09

 

I

salute you for sharing your thoughts and feelings on this great man,

Barack Obama. He has certainly given a ray of hope for a better future not

only to his fellow Americans, but also to the peoples of the world.

Sri

Bala 07 05 09

 

If

more proof was needed, here is another glaring example of how this great man, Barack

Obama, is shaping the destiny of his fellow Americans – Democrats and

Republicans alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two days before the

inauguration, PARADE published a letter from Barack Obama to his daughters

about what he hoped for them and all the children of America. The letter

attracted international attention.

On this Father's Day, we asked the President to reflect on what fatherhood

means to him.

 

[Get the story behind the story from PARADE Editor Janice Kaplan]

 

Related Features

1. When The White House Calls

2. Barack Obama on Fatherhood

3. Barack Obama: A Letter to My Daughters

 

*****

 

WE NEED FATHERS TO STEP UP

by President Barack Obama

published: 06/21/2009

 

As the father of two young girls who have shown such poise, humor, and

patience in the unconventional life into which they have been thrust, I mark

this Father’s Day—our first in the White House—with a deep

sense of gratitude. One of the greatest benefits of being President is that I

now live right above the office. I see my girls off to school nearly every

morning and have dinner with them nearly every night. It is a welcome change

after so many years out on the campaign trail and

commuting between Chicago and Capitol Hill.

 

But I observe this Father’s Day not just as a father grateful to be

present in my daughters’ lives but also as a son who grew up without a

father in my own life. My father left my family when I was 2 years old, and I

knew him mainly from the letters he wrote and the stories my family told. And

while I was lucky to have two wonderful grandparents who poured everything

they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me, I still felt the

weight of his absence throughout my childhood.

 

As an adult, working as a community organizer and later as a legislator, I

would often walk through the streets of Chicago’s South Side and see

boys marked by that same absence—boys without supervision or direction

or anyone to help them as they struggled to grow into men. I identified with

their frustration and disengagement—with their sense of having been let

down.

 

In many ways, I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its

absence—both in my life and in the lives of others. I came to

understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to

his children is one that no government can fill. We can do everything

possible to provide good jobs and good schools and safe streets for our kids,

but it will never be enough to fully make up the difference.

 

That is why we need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not

end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a

child but the courage to raise one.

 

As fathers, we need to be involved in our children’s lives not just

when it’s convenient or easy, and not just when they’re doing

well—but when it’s difficult and thankless, and they’re

struggling. That is

when they need us most.

 

And it’s not enough to just be physically present. Too often,

especially during tough economic times like these, we are emotionally absent:

distracted, consumed by what’s happening in our own lives,

worried about keeping our jobs and paying our bills, unsure if we’ll be

able to give our kids the same opportunities we had.

 

Our children can tell. They know when we’re not fully there. And that

disengagement sends a clear message—whether we mean it or

not—about where among our priorities they fall.

 

So we need to step out of our own heads and tune in. We need to turn off the

television and start talking with our kids, and listening to them, and

understanding what’s going on in their lives.

 

We need to set limits and expectations. We need to replace that video game

with a book and make sure that homework gets done. We need to say to our

daughters, Don’t ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth,

because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for your goals. We

need to tell our sons, Those songs on the radio may glorify violence, but

in our house, we find glory in achievement, self-respect, and hard work.

 

We need to realize that we are our children’s first and best teachers.

When we are selfish or inconsiderate, when we mistreat our wives or

girlfriends, when we cut corners or fail to control our tempers, our children

learn from that—and it’s no surprise when we see those behaviors

in our schools or on our streets.

 

But it also works the other way around. When we work hard, treat others with

respect, spend within our means, and contribute to our communities, those are

the lessons our children learn. And that is

what so many fathers are doing every day—coaching soccer and Little

League, going to those school assemblies and parent-teacher conferences,

scrimping and saving and working that extra shift so their kids can go to

college. They are fulfilling their most fundamental duty as fathers: to show

their children, by example, the kind of people they want them to become.

 

It is rarely easy. There are plenty of days of struggle and heartache when,

despite our best efforts, we fail to live up to our responsibilities. I know

I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes. I have lost

count of all the times, over the years, when the demands of work have taken

me from the duties of fatherhood. There were many days out on the campaign

trail when I felt like my family was a million miles away, and I knew I was

missing moments of my daughters’ lives that I’d never get back.

It is a loss I will never fully accept.

 

But on this Father’s Day, I think back to the day I drove Michelle and

a newborn Malia home from the hospital nearly 11 years ago—crawling

along, miles under the speed limit, feeling the weight of my

daughter’s future resting in my hands. I think about the pledge I made

to her that day: that I would give her what I never had—that if I could

be anything in life, I would be a good father. I knew that day

that my own life wouldn’t count for much unless she had every

opportunity in hers. And I knew I had an obligation, as we all do, to help

create those opportunities and leave a better world for her and

all our children.

 

On this Father’s Day, I am recommitting myself to that work, to those

duties that all parents share: to build a foundation for our children’s

dreams, to give them the love and support they need to fulfill them, and to

stick with them the whole way through, no matter what doubts we may feel or

difficulties we may face. That is my prayer for all of us on this

Father’s Day, and that is my hope for this nation in the months and

years ahead.

 

 

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received and delete the original message.

 

Please note that we reserve the right to monitor all email communications

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[Guest guest]

Namaste Sri Bala, Thank you for the We need Fathers to step up message. Have given it out to my sons, and

one or two others. Exellent, Thanks again. From Yogacharini Gowri.-"Sri Bala" <sribala Sent: Saturday, 27 June, 2009 1:30:35 PM GMT +10:00 Brisbane FW: WE NEED FATHERS TO STEP UP - By Barack Obama - PL SPEND 5 MINS TO READ 'COS IT IS WORTH IT

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Friends: Here is a story that is uplifting the yogis worldwide inincreasing numbers. My story is all about the positive changes inconsciousness that I have seen across the USA and the world ever sinceBarack Obama entered into the Presidential politics. His words anddeeds have started a bonfire in human consciousness in all areas ofvalues that rally matters to humanity today. His energy, enthusiasm,quick mind, balanced intellect and broad philosophical and spiritualoutlook in life has affected almost everyone I see. We are all blessedto have a leader of his calibre with his able wife at this criticaltime of our nation as well as the world. To this end I want to sharethe following poem (dedicated to this great man) that I wrote onNovember, 2008 (the day at the Mile High) and revised recently.

 

Towards the Mile High Hope*Tushar K. Ray 04 05 09

 

I salute you for sharing your thoughts and feelings on this great man,Barack Obama. He has certainly given a ray of hope for a better future notonly to his fellow Americans, but also to the peoples of the world.

Sri Bala 07 05 09

 

If more proof was needed, here is another glaring example of how this great man, Barack Obama, is shaping the destiny of his fellow Americans – Democrats and Republicans alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two days before the inauguration, PARADE published a letter from Barack Obama to his daughters about what he hoped for them and all the children of America. The letter attracted international attention.On this Father's Day, we asked the President to reflect on what fatherhood means to him.[Get the story behind the story from PARADE Editor Janice Kaplan]Related Features1. When The White House Calls2. Barack Obama on Fatherhood3. Barack Obama: A Letter to My Daughters *****WE NEED FATHERS TO STEP UPby President Barack Obamapublished: 06/21/2009As the father of two young girls who have shown such poise, humor, and patience in the unconventional life into which they have been thrust, I mark this Father’s Day—our first in the White House—with a deep sense of gratitude. One of the greatest benefits of being President is that I now live right above the office. I see my girls off to school nearly every morning and have dinner with them nearly every night. It is a welcome change after so many years out on the campaign trail andcommuting between Chicago and Capitol Hill.But I observe this Father’s Day not just as a father grateful to be present in my daughters’ lives but also as a son who grew up without a father in my own life. My father left my family when I was 2 years old, and I knew him mainly from the letters he wrote and the stories my family told. And while I was lucky to have two wonderful grandparents who poured everything they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me, I still felt the weight of his absence throughout my childhood.As an adult, working as a community organizer and later as a legislator, I would often walk through the streets of Chicago’s South Side and see boys marked by that same absence—boys without supervision or direction or anyone to help them as they struggled to grow into men. I identified with their frustration and disengagement—with their sense of having been let down.In many ways, I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its absence—both in my life and in the lives of others. I came to understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to his children is one that no government can fill. We can do everything possible to provide good jobs and good schools and safe streets for our kids, but it will never be enough to fully make up the difference.That is why we need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one.As fathers, we need to be involved in our children’s lives not just when it’s convenient or easy, and not just when they’re doing well—but when it’s difficult and thankless, and they’re struggling. That iswhen they need us most.And it’s not enough to just be physically present. Too often, especially during tough economic times like these, we are emotionally absent: distracted, consumed by what’s happening in our own lives,worried about keeping our jobs and paying our bills, unsure if we’ll be able to give our kids the same opportunities we had.Our children can tell. They know when we’re not fully there. And that disengagement sends a clear message—whether we mean it or not—about where among our priorities they fall.So we need to step out of our own heads and tune in. We need to turn off the television and start talking with our kids, and listening to them, and understanding what’s going on in their lives.We need to set limits and expectations. We need to replace that video game with a book and make sure that homework gets done. We need to say to our daughters, Don’t ever let images on TV tell you what you are worth, because I expect you to dream without limit and reach for your goals. We need to tell our sons, Those songs on the radio may glorify violence, but in our house, we find glory in achievement, self-respect, and hard work.We need to realize that we are our children’s first and best teachers. When we are selfish or inconsiderate, when we mistreat our wives or girlfriends, when we cut corners or fail to control our tempers, our children learn from that—and it’s no surprise when we see those behaviors in our schools or on our streets.But it also works the other way around. When we work hard, treat others with respect, spend within our means, and contribute to our communities, those are the lessons our children learn. And that iswhat so many fathers are doing every day—coaching soccer and Little League, going to those school assemblies and parent-teacher conferences, scrimping and saving and working that extra shift so their kids can go to college. They are fulfilling their most fundamental duty as fathers: to show their children, by example, the kind of people they want them to become.It is rarely easy. There are plenty of days of struggle and heartache when, despite our best efforts, we fail to live up to our responsibilities. I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes. I have lost count of all the times, over the years, when the demands of work have taken me from the duties of fatherhood. There were many days out on the campaign trail when I felt like my family was a million miles away, and I knew I was missing moments of my daughters’ lives that I’d never get back. It is a loss I will never fully accept.But on this Father’s Day, I think back to the day I drove Michelle and a newborn Malia home from the hospital nearly 11 years ago—crawling along, miles under the speed limit, feeling the weight of mydaughter’s future resting in my hands. I think about the pledge I made to her that day: that I would give her what I never had—that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father. I knew that daythat my own life wouldn’t count for much unless she had every opportunity in hers. And I knew I had an obligation, as we all do, to help create those opportunities and leave a better world for her andall our children.On this Father’s Day, I am recommitting myself to that work, to those duties that all parents share: to build a foundation for our children’s dreams, to give them the love and support they need to fulfill them, and to stick with them the whole way through, no matter what doubts we may feel or difficulties we may face. That is my prayer for all of us on this Father’s Day, and that is my hope for this nation in the months and years ahead. --------------------- The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. Any views or opinions expressed in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of PwC.-------------------------The information contained in this communication is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorized to receive it. It may contain confidential or legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by responding to this email and then delete it from your system. Ernst & Young is neither liable for the proper and complete transmission of the information contained in this communication nor for any delay in its receipt. ________This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System._____________________________CONFIDENTIALITY AND DISCLAIMERThis communication is privileged and confidential, and is directed to andfor the use of the addressee only.If this message reaches any person other than the intended recipient, werequest such person to preserve its confidentiality, not read, reproduce,copy, disseminate or in any manner distribute it. We further request suchrecipient to notify us immediately by email that such message has beenreceived and delete the original message.Please note that we reserve the right to monitor all email communicationsthrough our network.Home Page : www.keells.com_______________________

 

 

 

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Beyond Hotmail — see what else you can do with Windows Live. Find out more.__________ NOD32 4190 (20090626) Information __________This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system.http://www.eset.com