Lately so much that I learn about the world around me is prompted by the way my children see their world. Whether it be their questions or their comments I often find myself seeing something a little bit differently. So I am going try and make this a weekly installment !
This weeks lessons come from Mitchel, who is eight.
1) I do have a choice in near everything in my life. This week I was having one of those meltdown moments when I was sure that my entire family was depending on me to be in charge of all the cleaning. And that if a didn’t take on this super important responsibility we would all perish from the toxic build up. Mid rant Mitchel looked at me and said, “you don’t have to do any of it mom, you have a choice you know.” I not ready to shift my outlook tried to convince him otherwise and he boldly replied, “mom no one is gonna die if you don’t clean up.” Hmpf out smarted by an eight year. I was able at this point to stop and seriously consider what he was offering up. It was true I was choosing to clean up (and to be all self righteous about it) and that no ones life was in any immediate danger. He could see right through me. Really, I was mad that no one else’s need for cleanliness was on the same level as mine. And I was being stubborn in not asking for help. I appreciate that my eight year old already knows he has choice in each of his actions and is willing to remind me when I forget.
2) People should only do a job they really love. This lesson is pretty new and I am still fully cycling it in to my understanding. “Mom, no one should work just for money. People should work cause they wanna do what they are doing. Or else there just going to hate it and be grumpy.” This enlightenment came from the back seat on a trip home from the game stop. The folks there for all intents and purposes appear to enjoy what they are doing. They are super generous about sharing knowledge with us and generally include Mitchel in the conversation. I smiled and agreed that this very principle is what has landed us living here in California (so daddy can work his dream job). It was his conclusion that leaves me delving even deeper in to my own work, “no one should every do anything just for money.” Hmm.. Sure daddy is living this truth but am I really? And if not what am I going to do about it? We strive to create a way for our boys to be in the world that values their interests and passions no matter what they are. But we all know actions speak louder then words and one person in our home has been working just for the money. Again, seeing the value of living a passionate life my eight year old jolts me to re-examine just what I am up to.
3) And lastly, not cause its the last lesson I have been exposed to this week but because it is all I am capable of processing at this particular stage. Happiness matters in an all consuming kind of way. I was discussing someone else’s (family member) actions at one point this week (to my husband) and Mitchel over heard and every so innocently interjected with, “I bet there happy though and that’s really what matters.” In that single interaction he had hurled me back in to the very reality that my reaction to someone’s behavior always takes second place to their true happiness. Humbling yes. Eye opening yes.
So as humbled and reflective as I often end up by being fully present in the lives of my children, at the end of each day I am always drenched in gratitude for this journey and the endless opportunities it provides me.
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