For those of you who have been following my blog for a while may know I believe that harmony at home is synergetic with business success and it is not unusual that I post something related to parenting, marriage or family.
I am a navy veteran and father of a son and daughter. My father was a World War II U.S. Army paratrooper who fought in the Pacific War. Therefore, this prayer, taken from “The Book of Man” by William J. Bennett, strikes a chord with me as it may with you.
General Douglas MacArthur. Source: worldwar2pacificwars.weebly.com
A Father’s Prayer
Douglas MacArthur
General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) was an outstanding figure in the events during and after the Second World War. He was recognized as a leader and an inspiration to soldiers and civilians alike. His “Father’s Prayer” reflects a heart of hope and a vision for the young men of the future. In early 1942, when leading outnumbered United States forces in the Philippines, General MacArthur prayed this prayer many times at morning devotions, according to Major General Courtney Whitney, his longtime military aide. This prayer for his son, Arthur, is a spiritual legacy any son would cherish.
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Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength.
Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”
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Challen Yee