As I am walking by, I notice the most beautiful baby sleeping soundly in her father's arms at the lecture hall. Her pink angel face is peacefully composed and framed nicely in a white lace bonnet. So tiny. I stop to study her. Her little fingers with her nails carefully cut short move slightly. Her mother smiles at me. "How old is she?" "Five weeks." "And her name?" "Sharon Rene Reilly." When she hears her name, she stretches and blinks her eyes open.

         I can see how proud her parents are of their new baby. They are filled with love for their daughter, and like all other parents who love their children, they are determined to make her life the best it can be. There is no question that they are taking their new job seriously. They are coming to hear me speak on Breakthrough Parenting™: A Revolutionary New Way to Raise Children. There is no struggle with their daughter yet, but they are wisely anticipating the future.

         As I walk to the podium to begin my presentation, I know that Sharon Rene Reilly, now so peaceful and composed, will turn into a fighter. She will learn clever ways to show her parents that she is not the person they want her to be. "I am my own person," she will declare. "Don't tell me how to live my life!"

         The built-in problem between parent and child is a universal one. Plato, the Greek philosopher, explained it 2500 years ago. He pointed out that people think in the world of ideas. In this world of ideas we entertain images of the ideal, or what we think perfection is: the perfect chair, the perfect house, the perfect job, the perfect spouse, the perfect parent and the perfect child. But alas, these imaginings never exist outside of our minds. We're destined to be disappointed as long as we hold on to ideals that are impossible to attain.

         As Sharon Rene Reilly unfolds her true self, her parents will repeatedly be surprised at new developments. This beaming young couple are on a collision course with the realization that their daughter is not who they think she is. The real truth is that they don't know who she is.

         Most parents will admit that their growing child isn't turning out as they expected. While many adjust easily to the loss of their illusion, others need help to accept that their child is a separate person, with a soul and a destiny no one really understands or can control. Sharon Rene Reilly is beginning a grand adventure. She has a calling, as we all have, to answer the question "Who am I?" The only way she will find the answer to this question is by searching the inner reaches of her own soul.

         Many people will tell her who she is while she is on her life path, starting with her parents. She will have many roles in life, such as a student, a wife, a mother and an employee. Many times she'll go along with what others say about her. Eventually, however, only she will rule in or out what others say and will define for herself "Who am I?" Her parents can help by telling her, "You are special. You aren't like anyone else who ever lived. You are unique." She will share her life, but no one else can live her life. It is hers alone, and she must ultimately decide what to make of this gift she has been given.

         She will fight battles with loneliness. After all, there is only one of her. She will wrestle with feelings of inadequacy. She will be terrified to choose which way to go when she doesn't have all the information she needs. She will find countless ways to muster up the courage to make hard decisions. She'll be tempted to blame others when the consequences of her choices don't please her. She is going to need loving and responsible parents to get her off to a good start. She will need teachers who take an interest in her. There will be so many helping hands along the way that she won't remember who they are, but eventually she will thank them collectively for making a difference at precisely the time she was in need.

         Sharon Rene Reilly belongs to a generation different from her parents. Her generation spans roughly 20 years. Like every generation before, she and her peers will collectively distinguish themselves from the current, ordinary way of doing things. They will establish a culture all their own, with different words, music, clothes and ways of changing their look so that everyone will know which generation they come from. It is likely that she will collide with her parents' values.

         Furthermore, her generation has inherited a future that we can only speculate about. Since the future hasn't happened yet, it is hard to prepare. We have to trust that the future will take care of itself, because it always has.

Plato was right. We imagine that something is perfect according to a preconceived idea, but it may not be the best way for things to turn out for her life.
Soon enough, Sharon Rene Reilly will be off and running with the adventure of life. But, for now, she has drifted back to sleep. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. She already has the knack of making the most of the moment.