I Have A Confession…

“I have a confession”, our son told me last night as I was checking in on my social media routine.

His confession was nothing alarming.  You see, we recently made an agreement that if he reaches a certain goal (with one of his daily chores) by the end on this month, he can pick out some Lego pods from the Lego store at Disney World (we live next door to Disney World).

However, while I was in Anchorage, Alaska this week, my wife got him one of these Lego pods.  They are small and inexpensive, in the big picture.

He was worried that he broke some sort of deal with me.  He did not. Not as far as I’m concerned anyway.

What he really did though, was remind me how thankful I am to have placed so much time and energy (worry) on developing honesty as a core value.  “You will never get in trouble for telling the truth”, is the mantra he’s heard over and over again.

This also makes me thankful for repetition.  Over and over again. Repetition is the “mother” of all learning.  It is the root of evil and the root of goodness.  But only if we focus on it, over and over again.

I Must…

I have to be the most patient person in the world, so that our son (9) will understand how patience works.

I must also be the most thankful person in the world so our son will understand how thankfulness works.

Celebrating Thanksgiving every November, or going to Church once a week to give thanks simply doesn’t cut it.

I must become the most thankful person in the world.

There is no other way.

Roll With Mid Life?

Yes, we should “roll with it”, mid life, that is.  There is no avoiding it.  Is there?  Maybe if our lives are cut short, we could avoid mid life, but that’s really the only way.  Who wants that?

Not me.  So what can a person do?  Why not “roll with it“.  A phrase I learned a long time ago.  It means to take whatever you are given and “roll with it“, or make the most of it.

If you can’t change what you are given or presented with, why not make something good from it?  Because if we don’t, then we are destined, it would seem, to complain.  Who wants that? Here, let me demonstrate how simple this concept is. Please pay attention, it’s over in ten seconds.

Mid Life Moose Wisdom

Mid Life Moose Wisdom:

Aren’t our days great when we can be thankful for the simple things? Like a long (and maybe boring) plane flight that arrives safely. Like a friend who’s willing to drive the rental car so you can gaze uninterrupted at the beauty of a new place.  And like the ability to act like a teenager, while in mid life, when an Alaskan Moose walks in front of your vehicle.  Carpe diem.

Mid Life Thankfulness

“”What gift has providence on man that is so dear to him as his own children”.Cicero

What is at the heart of this, I believe, is that children provide adults with an opportunity to finally have someone in their lives more important them themselves.

This is a feeling that literally defies explanation.

And yes, there are readers here today that do not, and will not, have children.  That’s ok.  We are all blessed in wonderfully unique ways.  I am so thankful my wife and I are blessed to be parents.