Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

Another school year is coming to an end.  As I look at my children I can't help but to absorb all of their excitement.  They have conquered another phase in their journeys.

They are young, but they work hard.  They venture into this big building everyday without complaint and they hold their own without being obnoxious, disrespectful or aggressive.  My little ones are kind, thoughtful and respectful.  They are making their marks in the world and learning about themselves in the process.

Though my children are still very young, they seem to be developing a very good sense of who they are and don't waste a lot of time sweating the small stuff.  I have a lot to learn from them.

As I sat in the parking lot at their school today fuming and fussing about a car that has blocked me in, my eight year old said, "Why don't you just beep at them?"  How simple a solution?  Why did I magnify the situation with my ranting instead of calmly thinking of a simple solution myself?  Instead I sat there and devoted three minutes of my life complaining about the inconsiderate idiot who had the audacity to block me in.

After I explained to my son that the driver of the other car was aware that we were trying to exit the parking lot and obviously didn't care I realized that I actually had enough room to maneuver around the back of that car and get out of our space.  It took a little more effort than it otherwise should have, but it was a painfully simple solution to a very minuscule problem. 

In those three minutes I wasted so much time and exerted so much negative energy.  I looked back at my children who sat patiently and calmly and I actually felt ashamed.  Through the whole ordeal my daughter sat singing, not even acknowledging that I was in a semi rage and my son very intelligently offered me a simple solution.  Sometimes I think that they are smarter than I am.

Once again my children have taught me a lesson.  My only hope is that next time it won't even take me three minutes to realize what they already know.  Life is too short to spend it barking and complaining and simple problems really do have simple solutions.

Thank you to my children for helping me grow.

"A Little Child Shall Lead Them"

Isaiah 11:1-10