Tainted Legacy

We were in motion and he was driving. While we moved, a child came into view and he screamed at the child in an unusually harsh manner. I thought it was one of those bad days until I heard him mutter under his breath, “see how you kept your head like your mother”.
While we moved on, my mind couldn’t leave that incident. I would easily have tried to reason with him about transfer of aggression and passing the sins of the mother to the poor boy. But for some reason, my mind decided to go a different direction. I know the mother to this child and, not to judge, but she displayed numerous attitude that painted her as indisciplined and troublesome. Many have more ill to say about her, than good. So naturally one would transfer that impression to the children.. I felt sad and scared too.
With this I write to you dear gracious man and woman; until your child grows to create his or her own identity, they are forced to live in yours. People’s impression of them will be greatly affected by theirs of you.
Some children don’t just understand why the community treats them unfairly, and they can’t do anything about it. But you can, even before you start to have children.
When you understand that your children’s initial identity is a compendium of what you have done to and with others, then you will learn to live your life carefully and live favourably with others.
They can be favoured where ever they go, because of you.
They can equally be ill-treated wherever they go, because of you.
Knowing this, it would be selfish of us to live our lives carelessly and bring hardship on our posterity.
Whatever you do now is a legacy you are leaving for your children so please do not leave them a legacy that will make them unpleasant.