HOW HER BIRTHDAY REACTION CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE
At 6:30am like clockwork, I heard the pitter patter of feet and the crack of the door. As I came up the stairs, a sleepy eyed, crazy bed head, girl stood there arms stretched out waiting for me. I said “happy birthday bubba! It’s your birthday!! You’re 4 years old!” And a smile came across her face as she buried her face in my bathrobe for a hug.
Within seconds she let go and ran into her room where her mirror is. As I followed her footsteps, she exclaimed excitedly from her room “mama I’m SO TALL! I was just so small but now that I’m 4 look at how tall I am! And I’m strong! Look mama at how strong I am!” she says as she grits her teeth and clenches her fists.
I congratulate her on such a fantastic feat. "Wow bubba! 4 is going to be great!!" And we head downstairs for smiley face chocolate chip pancakes to celebrate.
Hours after that moment, I realized the beauty and knowledge of her sheer innocence. For her, every added year of her life means that she is stronger, taller, and more capable in her eyes. Every year behind her just adds and contributes to her toolkit. Instead of saying “ugh I’m getting so old” or “I can’t do that anymore, I’ve aged out of it” she celebrates with enthusiasm because without a single doubt, right now is even better than the previous age.
I thought to myself...imagine for a moment if we walked through life like that? If I woke up as a 26 year old and said “I’m so much more capable and equipped for the year ahead than I was last year. Everything in my life up until this point has just been blessings and experiential additions to my toolkit.” What a shift that would give to us mentality.
How much would that shape our perspective of the sum of our life thus far? That instead of age being a death sentence to enthusiasm and zeal for life, it's a number that proves just how much time we've been granted to make the most out of life? That everything is FOR us, not against us.
Comments