The Best Part of Themselves

My principal is great. He's relaxed with his style of supervising yet provides a lot of constructive criticism for me to improve and grow as a teacher. When we first met he said something that was interesting but didn't really hit me until he said it again today:

"Parents are sending the best part of themselves to you everyday."

I thought about this in the obvious way: I love my kids. They are hilarious and odd and love to dance and they are mine 40 hours a week. I love their smiles, their hugs, their frowns, their tattling, their excitement over silly little things and their love of one another without allowing socioeconomics or status to get in the way (like some adults do).

But I thought more in depth about this idea that if each set of parents sent the best parts of themselves to school every day; shouldn't each generation be better than the last?

Just a thought I was wondering.

In my life, I think of the best parts of my parents: My father's corny jokes; love of trivia; methodical and deliberate moments of wisdom; incredible patience and wait time; strength; lack of fear to be himself and love of music. My mother's excitement over silly little things; dedication to people, to family, to love; unfiltered verbal diarrhea; dedication to her faith; acceptance of all and love of getting a mission accomplished (they, clearly, have more parts that are amazing, but these stand out to me in the moment).

Now, I think of myself...am I truly the best part of them? Do I do their best qualities justice? When I went to college or the east coast to brave the independent world on my own, did they believe they were unleashing the best parts of themselves into the world?

I know this may appear as useless ramble but it's just a thought I've been pondering. If we all strive to be the best parts of our parents, then I guess it leaves the next generation no choice but to be better than ours...what a beautiful world that could be.