Rev. Martin has done us a service of immersing himself in the Tao te Ching and translating the 81 versus into our contemporary lives. The need of our children for our attention remain at extraordinary levels, in competition with the seductions of the virtual world. Boddhisattva parenting might pray “The demands of parenting are limitless … I vow to satisfy them all.” When approached as a creative act with your child, meditation practice fosters presence when you are together. Martin writes eloquently of the person behind the eyes of our children. The relationship is paramount. This is a unique being that has come into your life, like no other. Remove the veil and see. Meditation is not a luxury. Martin

offers us a path that cultivates calmness and compassion as a parental skill. This demands active perception, suspending judgment, and intuition. Imagine those moments when you were most present with your child, or any child. What was that like? How does it feel now in your body/memory?