perspective – lessons from childhood

Little notes of a finding joy perspective all inspired by my almost three year old Samuel and the incredible amount of joy that he has in life. Joy that’s never dampened by the reality of him not ever eating gluten, but joy that is at the core of who he is at heart. Yesterday, he came downstairs for his third clothing change {moms with toddlers keep nodding your heads} and this time chose blue size four swim trunks, an orange polo {of course – the boy loves orange}, rainboots two sizes too big, and a faded and much loved Indiana Jones style hat. Or at least it was – but three big brothers have played many many many hours with it – so now, now it’s just a hat stuck with the Indiana Jones label – and now a really cool almost three year old wearing it.

Watching that independent boy reminded of the importants in life worth noting.

Be confident in who you are – it’s the heart that matters. As a reminder, check out his clothing choice {and moms – we absolutely must let our kids get the joy in choosing their own clothes at times. Not all the time, but sometimes – they grow from that experience.} When my kids were younger I spent so much time worrying – if I was doing everything right, if they needed that, if I was messing up, if I was reading teaching playing cooking cleaning relaxing creating enough. As the years have passed it’s become this resting in a place of learning from others but remembering that what works for one family or in one book or on one show or one blog fits them. My family is unique and the day in and day out may be different, but that is okay. And, in fact, is good. It’s about valuing and appreciating the good in others, learning from others, and ultimately in being confident in the blessing in your own life.

Look at all you can have and not at what you can’t. This one gets me every single time. Samuel, again yesterday, saw something gluten and didn’t complain. My goodness, I think I would complain sometimes. But, he doesn’t. He looks at me and tells me gwooten hurt my tummy and then just moves on with life {see Celiac Disease for more of his story. And to join in more discussion with me and others about gluten free living please consider joining me at the Udi’s Gluten Free Community Boards where I am a leader.}.  He, at almost three, doesn’t spend time wallowing in all the foods and treats that he can’t have. Instead, he sees everything that he can have. Wise beyond years – and certainly a lesson for me who easily forgets that in one trip through Target. Remember the blessings. First.

Don’t race so fast that you lose sight of the little joys. You know I’m always writing about slowing down otherwise we’ll miss their childhood and the simple joys. Check out this picture that my daughter Hannah captured {thanks to her for all these gorgeous pictures} – it’s Samuel fascinated by the shadows on the exterior siding. When did I stop and see the shadows? Or the straws? Or just slowed down? I write about slowing down and being intentional – and yet, so often it’s my children that push me into remembering that the little things matter and I need to open my eyes to them.

Keep exploring. Keep trying. We live in a world of hypothetical boxes. I’ve got them – those ideas that I’m too old too late not good enough it will never happen so why try type boxes that are designed to keep us right where we are at now. You know, life is worth living to the fullest every single day. My husband’s grandmother lived to be almost 102 years old. At 93 years old we had to tell her to please stop cleaning your gutters we promise we’ll clean them for you because she’d keep herself busy and we’d find her trying to get on the roof. She lived a full life. She played cards with the young ones {they were in their early 80s} when she moved out of her home and into a Senior Living center. That’s how I want to live. That’s how I see my kids, my Samuel, live. He doesn’t tell me I can’t. He tells me why not?

Find the joy in today. We’re in this drought up here in Minnesota. I water my plants, but after a bit, well, it’s hard to keep the water on tomatoes all day long or on the beans, peppers, and even my grass. So I’ve got these tomato plants that are really wimpy and ugly and with yellow leaves and small teeny tomatoes that grew despite the lack of rain and an unseasonably hot summer. Samuel? He didn’t see the fading plants. He didn’t complain about things not being right, or that they look sickly, or that I should have watered. He saw the tomato. The not so red tomato growing on a plant that survived despite of the environment. And that tomato? It brought him joy. It’s the little things – let me see the little things and not worry so much about having everything perfect.

Be grateful. On Sunday, I wrote my list of things for this week and on there was this reminder to myself that this week, this last week of August and first day of September was the only one of these weeks that I’ll ever get. And yet, I’ve found myself looking a the computer too much, or stressing over a messy kitchen {even though I shared that super sink full pic with you all on Tuesday}, or fretting that I’m behind. If I don’t slow down, step back, and see the big picture that this day matters even though it’s just a day I’ll miss the moments with my kids. The moments of joy, exploration, and delight in wandering in the backyard picking tomatoes while wearing rain boots, a floppy hat, swimshorts, and an orange polo shirt. That moment matters more than the dishes, email, or feeling behind. Way more.

That’s what Samuel reminded me of yesterday.

Simple little things that ultimately become big life changing finding joy moments.

****

Thank you for your unbelievable response to my dear mom who feels like she is failing letter. I am humbled, grateful, and so thankful. 
If you’re interested in receiving finding joy updates simply click subscribe to finding joy by email