Lessons from a Three Year Old
It’s been a while since I simply wrote about my family or my life in general. I have been swamped with past-due product reviews and my other writing duties at the Examiner, Moms of Hue, and Traveling Mom, have fallen by the wayside. I am a perfectionist. I set very high goals for myself and when I am unable to attain them, I go into a depression that makes me even more less productive.
With the constant swarm of negative events that have plagued my family in 2009, I am finding it very difficult to motivate myself to get things done. I still have not fully come to terms with my sister’s death, nor my father-in-laws either. I can’t believe that in her short time here, my daughter has experienced two devastating losses already. I have been sad so much and while, as mothers will do, I have been trying to stay strong. I only cry when she cannot see me and I try to keep us involved in fun activities, but the truth is, I am feeling a little overwhelmed.
But the funny thing is that just when I feel like I cannot go on any further, my daughter does or says something that makes me remember that things will be alright. For example, I was really missing my sister the other day (well every day, but this one day in particular it was a lot worse). I felt empty and disconnected from the events around me and I was feeling a little guilty because of things left unsaid and unsettled. My daughter, who has shown a real understanding for empathy even at 3, came over to me and grabbed my face with her hands. She looked me in the eyes and said, “Momma, you love me, and Daddy, and we love you. It’s OK.” It was a simple statement, but it warmed me to the core and made me realize a few things.
I realized that no matter how much it hurts to lose a loved one, love is all around and that love should not be ignored.
I learned that the difficult things in life are never as important as the simple hugs and kisses that we take for granted.
I remembered that sometimes no matter how much we think we need to be strong, showing that we are not all the time is the best gift we can give our children.
These lessons from my 3-year-old are exactly what I needed to get through the day. It is confirmation that I am doing something right and that the world is better than it seems.
And she is right, it IS OK.
Your daughter is so perceptive and thoughtful…. and incredibly sweet. It’s amazing how sensitive they are to our moods and feelings. That post just warmed my heart, and you are so right… there is always love around us. And sometimes it just takes little stories like this one to remind us of that. Thanks for sharing this.
.-= Yakini´s last blog ..Post-Partum Hair Updates II =-.
What a beautiful post. Children are smarter than we think. They are very perceptive, and we can learn alot from them if we listen.
.-= Rhonda´s last blog ..I Screwed Up My Life =-.