A dear friend of mine has a wonderful blog, and she recently shared about her realization of how some of her quirks might need minor adjustments. http://www.nancyholte.com/blog/2013/07/762/
Before I go any farther, if you think that you don’t have any quirks and that I am judging my friend, rest assured I am not. We all have quirks –especially me (like my need to have all of my beverages completely filled with ice so that they are cold enough). Nine times out of ten, those personality characteristics are what I love the most about my friends. Trust me, I am not living over here in my glass house because I know many people the world over would love clean drinking water while I am complaining that my drink isn’t cold enough. I get it.
I am acutely aware that even despite the tragedies that have befallen our family I am still more blessed than 95% of the world’s population. That awareness is something that I am trying to instill in my children as they are becoming older and much more world savvy. No name brand or one singular item will define the character of your heart. Hard work and serving others is much more important than momentary thrill of a purchase. These aren’t just platitudes for me, and I am trying on a regular basis to let my life’s choices be an example to my children. Sometimes I don’t think they are listening.
I couldn’t be more wrong.
One day, our daughters were bickering in the van about something so trivial I cannot even remember what it was. They both had valid points, but in the end of the day, they were clothed, nourished physically and spiritually, and housed. The thing they were arguing about was not life threatening nor earth shaking; so I pointed out to them that their conflict was a “first world problem” suggesting that they should agree to disagree and move on.
They acquiesced, and our whole family started quoting lines from a family favorite video: Top 100 First World Problems by Scooter Magruder, as we continued on down to our destination. Upon arrival at the local big box hardware store, we made a quick double-check of our list to create a game plan for this excursion in the midst of our home remodeling.
As we opened the doors to the van, our littlest was searching for her shoes. Under the seat, next to the seat, in the back of the van, in my purse (as if they would be there), and on the ground – they were nowhere to be found. I know I grumbled a bit asking if she wore shoes to the store. She assured me she thought she did. My annoyance wouldn’t have been so bad if we hadn’t just gone through the same thing a week before when we drove THREE HOURS to pick up her brother from med school camp – only to discover she was sans shoes. We had to go to the Mecca of the South and buy shoes before the closing ceremonies, forcing us to enter late (something I detest doing).
There was no rescuing her this time; so, I scooped her up (which was a challenge as she is getting tall) and carried her into the store with bare piggies. On our way in, I was chiding her for not bringing shoes. I reminded her this was crazy, and she was old enough to be responsible for her own shoes.
Then it came: wisdom wrapped up in a long-legged, curly-headed, freckled-face eight year old little girl.
“You know, Momma. This is a first world problem. Lots of kids around the world don’t even have shoes.”
Touché, my little Sally Gal. Touché.
They are listening. They are always listening. Be mindful of what you say, and even more mindful of what your actions speak. I know I am definitely trying to be much more particular!
By the way if you need a chuckle, check out Scooter’s video on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXCsRlpbqPM
