Lessons from a Child

The cool grey fog blanketing our town brings such relief from the scorching memories of melting heat. Last weekend was stagnant with record degrees that egged on short tempers and paved the way to easy frustration.

Yet, she smiled. Her sister smiled. What was wrong with my take on the sunny optimism that permeated from the children? Was I caught up in the rat-race of schedules laid out before me that day? Was I already battling the heat and a bent disposition so much that I couldn’t rise above it?

Patience, I prayed, realizing that asking for patience is a sure way to get a whopping dose of hurdles to help me practice patience. “Practice makes perfect,” were words that ran through my head like a song stuck on repeat.

The morning continued with start and stop, and start again schedules. The problems allowed me to jump and run; jump and run to perfection. All of this practice was sinking in at about the same time as my daughter’s afternoon game with sun all around.

She had been wearing her jersey since 6:00 a.m., anticipating playing soccer with her team for most of the day. The enlightenment came to me from the flash of her smile, the cheering and clapping for her sweaty teammates as she was substituted off the field for water break and fan sprit-zing.

I realized that she wasn’t complaining one bit. Her expectations were right on, perfectly aligned with her performance. Mine had been tweaked, out of adjustment, and needed to change. The next words out of my mouth were positive. I started to enjoy the game, the company, the effort all around, and the fact that the moment was exactly what it was suppose to be.

Instead of praying for patience, I thought of the wisdom of children.
“Unless you become like little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of God.”
(Mt. 18:3)

Their spirit and energy was the perfect example of how we should be. The game ended as a tie with high-fives all around. We thanked the coaches and walked across the field, entering the hot car for the eleventh time that day.

I turned around on the sticky leather seat to see my flushed and dripping girl drinking her cool drink. “Thanks for playing such a great game,” I said.

She responded enthusiastically, “Your welcome....No problem!”

Oh, to be like a little child!