What are we saying to our children?

Brandon Walden is an author and a public speaker. What he is more proud of however is being a husband and a father to 5 beautiful daughters. Natives of South Carolina, the Walden family currently resides in Northern California. As a young man, Brandon was a talented singer-songwriter and a gifted visual artist. He dreamed of using his love of art and desire to help people, by studying art and psychology and becoming an art therapist.

Upon graduating high school Brandon found himself pursuing mission opportunities in third world countries to serve the poor and needy. This decision confirmed his desire to serve the broken, but completely changed his trajectory as a young man. He found himself traveling the world looking for serving opportunities, and later he married his best friend, Stephanie.  Then years into marriage and having children Brandon began his own journey of healing and therapy.

As a young man Brandon had endured sexual abuse from the age of 6-9 years old. This was a secret he held to himself for over 25 years. He soon realized the pain he was enduring was causing pain to those around him. So he spent 5 years turning hurt into healing and pain into purpose. It was through this healing process that he began to write his first children’s book called Seeds and Trees (to be released Spring 2018). It’s a story about the heart and the power of words.

Brandon often says it’s his personal biography cleverly disguised as a children’s book. He and his wife formed The Treasured Tree, LLC late in 2017 as a collaborative company creating resources for parents, teachers and therapists. Brandon’s team is currently preparing curriculum that can be used in public schools and home schools across the nation based on the concepts presented in Seeds and Trees.

In our conversation with Brandon, we explore the beauty and power of being childlike in our creativity and approach to life, and how “wisdom begins in wonder”, as Socrates once said.  Brandon further describes how important it is to guard our thoughts and words carefully, especially around young children who are so open and trusting of what is said to them. And who are we as adults? The product of our words, and the words received by us as children.

Key Takeaways

1. Brandon first had to learn how to be a good son, in order to be a good father.
2. There is no winning when you compare yourself to others.
3. The best way for us to lead is to become more childlike. Pablo Picasso once said, “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn how to paint like a child.”
4. Creativity is birthed by being childlike.
5. “Wisdom begins in wonder.” ~ Socrates
6. Children are designed to be seen AND heard.
7. Be careful what you water because it will surely grow.

Resources

Book – Seeds And Trees

Connect With Brandon Walden

• Website: www.thetreasuredtree.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/treasuredtreemedia
• Instagram: @brandonwalden

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