The hardest thing...

Jaden,

I speak to you tonight about the hardest thing that you will struggle with throughout your life. Discipline. You see son, you will have many struggles in life. You will desire many things, many of which come from selfishness. This is why maintaining discipline will be the most difficult struggle, because it is a battle within yourself and against your own desires.

An old tribal chief once described this battle of two natures by saying he had two dogs fighting inside him. A small child once asked him, "Which dog wins?" He replied to the boy with a smile, "whichever one I say 'sick em' to".

No matter what forces surround you, what pressure you feel from others, it is always your decision to say what you say, do what you do, think what you think, and believe what you believe. Choose what is right, what is Godly, what is good and pure. It is seldom the popular thing, and rarely ever easy. In fact that is the very definition of discipline. Discipline is doing what you don't want to do, when you don't want to do it. Do not be selfish. I spoke to you of love. Love is not selfish, so may your love fuel your discipline. Let that unselfish love guide every decision you make.

Jaden, there is only one kind of dicipline. Perfect discipline. For anything less than perfect discipline is not discipline at all. However, we are not perfect. So take heart when your discipline fails you. Learn from your failures, forgive yourself, and move on all the wiser.

I love you son.

Unconditionally,
Dad