How to love adult children

I've always wanted to write... maybe a book, maybe an article, maybe just my thoughts.  This blog is most likely the closest I will ever come to being a writer.  For several years I deceived myself into believing that my children might one day be interested in what I thought...about anything actually!  I would write my musings every few days and at the end of each year, I'd gather them together through the miracle of technology, have them bound into what I pretended was an actual published work and give it to them as a Christmas gift.  Pretty sure neither of them has picked them up since putting them on a dusty shelf while de-Christmasing! I guess if they don't care what I am doing or thinking now, they certainly won't give a hoot later.  They might pick it up after I pass hoping through the onset of senility I left a few Ben Franklins tucked into a page or two.  Sorry kids, I've decided to spend them on me from now on. 

I really hoped I had shown through my actions that love is unconditional.  I might have been wrong.
Loving adult children is totally a horse of a different color. Thankfully, Jeff is allergic to horses.  Jessica, on the other hand, always wanted a white horse and said if we couldn't find one it was ok...she'd just paint it.  So much for the horse analogy!  You can only show love in so many ways and for so long before the investments become too difficult for the lack of returns. I recently read an article in AARP magazine (sadly) that told the story of one adult child who actually carried two cell phones. He gave everyone  (friends, acquaintances, work, etc) one number and to the other, his mother, he gave the second number.  In this way, if he chose not to converse with Mom at that particular time, he just didn't answer that phone. (This was obviously before the simplified caller ID)  Today, they ( she) just block you on Facebook and don't bother to call at all.  I'm coming to terms with that.  Thankfully, I have one who calls faithfully and never fails to end our calls with, "I Love You!"

Loving adult children shouldn't be a chore.............or a choice.  I am a firm believer that you give what you get. Unconditional is a very broad term.  You can only be knocked down so many times before unconditional becomes unacceptable and unacceptable becomes unbearable.  My only hope is that my grandchildren have equal parts of learning what they live and being able to assess right from wrong while living it.

My hopes are still unconditional and my love is still available!  It shouldn't be so much of a struggle.