Back to Basics May 4, 2026 Issue

Embracing the one, true Parent

The first line of the Lord’s Prayer reframes the parent-child relationship spiritually.

Liesl Ehmke

A friend once shared that certain calendar dates reopened old wounds—especially the day set aside to honor a parent who, in his experience, had not been loving or accepting. What was meant to be a celebration instead stirred deep sadness and unresolved hurt. I listened with compassion as he spoke, and the depth of what he shared has stayed with me.

It led me to reflect—not only on that friend’s pain but on my relationship with my own parents and children.

I am grateful for the love and support present in my own family, even as I recognize that this is not everyone’s experience. I hold my parents in deep affection. My father has passed, but my mother lives nearby, and I’m grateful to be able to spend time with her regularly. I love my children dearly—they are grown or nearly so, scattered across the country, and building lives of their own. We stay connected with care and affection. And still, like many families, ours continues to grow, learn, and lean on grace.

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