Little People / Big Lessons

When Keith and I had kids, we had this misconception that we were going to teach our kids about life.  And we had it half right – we just didn’t realize that our kids would teach us just as much.  We are constantly surprised by what they say and do, especially when it comes to things that we take for granted as adults.

Our youngest daughter, Lela, is a total drama queen.  She is animated and talks with her hands, has no social boundaries and thinks everyone was created for her enjoyment.  She marches to the beat of her own drummer and never gets in a hurry.  At Christmastime, every gift she received was the BEST GIFT EVER, and she wasn’t faking it – she loved everything.

And to Lela, everything is a good story, even her poop.

Lela is four, and even though she can take care of her own business, I get called in for wiping duty on a regular basis.  Usually this is because she has on some elaborate outfit that requires both hands to keep it out of the toilet, so she can’t be bothered to wipe herself (she is a princess, after all).  The funny thing is that her poop usually comes with a story.  I won’t regale you with too much disturbing detail, but it is always interesting to get a window into her imagination . . . to find out where the “poop family” is going, etc. (her version of “dropping the kids off at the pool” is a real story).

Lela teaches us how joyful life can be with a little imagination and enthusiasm.  I pray that for the rest of her sweet life, she is able to turn the “crap of life” into a good story.  I hope she continues to see something interesting and beautiful in every experience and maintains her contagious joy.  I mean, the quality of our lives has more to do with perspective than anything else, and right now, Lela finds EVERYTHING to be fabulous (except for vegetables).

Luke (also four) is constantly asking me “what if” questions. (“What if potty words were nice words and nice words were potty words?”  What if every day was my birthday?”  “What if I could shoot into heaven like a rocket?”  “What if it never stopped snowing?”  “What if sugar wasn’t bad for you?” What if everything in the whole world was green?”)  I generally don’t have any idea how to answer these questions, but I love to hear how his brain is processing the world.  He is clearly using his imagination and is not bound by societal norms or conventional thinking yet.

Luke teaches us to be curious and observant (and he exhausts his parents with lessons about the power of persistence!).  I hope our son is always able to consider the possibilities and that he doesn’t let society constrain his thinking and his imagination.  I hope that as he gets older, his “what if” questions lead him to solve problems and find a way when the answer is not obvious.

I’m only giving Luke and Lela examples, but all of our children have taught me how to see the world in a different way because they are all unique.

• Sometimes I find it humbling how little I “see” the world around me.  Our kids seem to notice everything and take such joy in the smallest discoveries.  When did I stop appreciating the details of life? 
• Kids laugh and act silly and PLAY.  When did I stop taking time to play?
• Every piece of scribble is a masterpiece and every picture has a story.  When did I start comparing my work to everyone else’s and stop creating?
• They love to sit and read, or play a board game or snuggle and watch a show.  When did I stop taking time out just to “be” and to enjoy the moment?
• Big adventures, elaborate forts, circus shows, “grand banquets” made of mud, rocks and sticks, and all sorts of other creative and messy games . . . When did the fear of the mess become more important than the joy of creativity and imagination?
• Questions are constant – they have an insatiable curiosity about the world.  When did I stop being curious?  When did I stop wondering how things work and where they come from, and being genuinely interested in seeking out answers?
• Kids have a way of making everything interesting.  A shoebox is a baby bed, a stick is a sword, a sock is a cast, and something as mundane as a bathroom break can turn into a detailed story.  When did I stop using my imagination as I look at the world around me?

I know that growing up is inevitable, and our minds unwillingly become cluttered with to-do lists and obligations.  But I love having little people around to remind me of what is important.  I love seeing the world through their unfiltered eyes, and uncluttered minds, and unbroken hearts.  I’m not sure how well I’m teaching them, but they are constantly teaching me, and I am humbled by the lessons.

“It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.” Charles Spurgeon

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