Jordana's Blog: The Wisdom Of A 9-Year-Old
Crazy title I know, because when my kids were little and I was doing ECFE some mom's would wax poetic about how much they were learning from their infant and how they were growing as a person now that they were a mother. Quite frankly I wanted to punch those mom's in the face because all my babies ever did was cry, poop, and keep me awake. But I did learn why sleep deprivation is used as a means of torture. Thanks guys. So now, 9 years later, I've lived long enough to eat my words.
I'm lying in bed with Marley, my 9 year-old last night and out of nowhere she says, "You know what's amazing? Streets. (I keep quiet hoping this is going somewhere.) And food stores. I mean how do they get all that food in there for us? And faucets. And the fact that water comes out of the faucet! That's amazing! Mom, sometimes when I'm riding the bus home from school I just look out the window and think how amazing this world is and we're so lucky to have so many amazing things."
Wow.
Her awe, was awe-inspiring.
I've spent the better part of my life on that journey to remember to be grateful for every breath, to live in the moment, to know that happiness is not getting what you want, it's wanting what you have. And here she is, my pint-sized Yoda appreciating faucets!!!
We, as a society spend billions on therapy, Ekhart Tolle books, Deepak Chopra pod-casts and Oprah Sirius Radio to remind us (to quote 'The Secret') "have an attitude of gratitude". But the children are living it. Maybe I was too when I was younger but it sometimes gets lost along the way.
Even though it was bedtime when Marley expounded this wisdom on me, it was also a wake up call. Yes, faucets are amazing, and streets and food stores! And technology, and this warm bed, and the nice guy shoveling my walkway, everything. But mostly you baby girl, you are amazing, and I'm grateful for the shared moment when you reminded me of the valuable lesson of awe and gratitude.
And to those other moms who I wanted to punch in the face 9 years ago… I'm sorry. You were right.
