“The feeling of being valuable – ‘I am a valuable person’ – is essential to mental health and is a cornerstone of self-discipline.  It is a direct product of parental love.  Such a conviction must be gained in childhood; it is extremely difficult to acquire it during adulthood.  Conversely, when children have learned through the love of their parents to feel valuable, it is almost impossible for the vicissitudes of adulthood to destroy their spirit.” ~ Scott Peck, The Road Less Traveled