Life Lessons

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“Every day is an opportunity to make a new happy ending.” – unknown

The other evening on a clear night my kids and I were out riding bikes. As I pumped up a hill, my two-year-old son sitting on the back on my bike noticed the moon bright in the sky. He softly said, “I want to hold the moon.”

It’s a good thing parents and lovers aren’t omnipotent. I assume it would result in the moon being pulled out of the sky on a regular basis.

A few days later my 6-year-old daughter was excitedly awaiting a new clock to arrive from Amazon. She was so excited to have the very first clock that she picked out herself and could set the alarms on. I question why she’d want to start with alarms so early in life but keeping my opinion to myself, helped her track the package. On the day it was supposed to arrive, the status went from “out for delivery” to “undeliverable” right before bedtime.

My daughter was so disappointed. Rightly so and exacerbated by being tired. In that moment, I would have driven the Amazon truck myself to make sure there wasn’t a tired six-year-old lamenting about unpredictability.

Sometimes I wonder what I’m teaching my kids. Fortunately life partners with me so that I have plenty of opportunities to talk about what we dream about. I get to review what we can and cannot control. And I can demonstrate how we can to flex our muscles of patience and perspective when things don’t work the way we want.

Gratefully, I have the chance to assure my kids that we might not always get what we want but we always get what we need. And remind myself of the same along the way.

(featured photo from JOOINN)

37 thoughts on “Life Lessons”

  3. A wonderful perspective Wynne. These simple life lessons are the best. I love when you said, “I get to review what we can and cannot control. And I can demonstrate how we can to flex our muscles of patience and perspective when things don’t work the way we want.”
    Now if only we can get the moon down, but good point, you can’t always get what you want, just as the Rolling Stones sang. You get what you need. I’ve sung that to my kids many many times. 😆

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  5. You might be tempted that I write a nice comment here or there because it’s the polite thing to do. That’s not the case, Wynne. Time after time, you demonstrate the ability to move your readers–this one included. Both of the experiences you mentioned about your children were very moving.

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  7. I really related to the statement of how parents would move mountains for their kids, or moons ♥. Without urging I often went overboard to make things easier or do things for my kids. I don’t regret it. I remember Houdini, my daughter wanted a rabbit. He was so sweet, ears that hung down and he kicked sideways in mid hop when he zipping along and happy. I built him an enclosed compound in a 50 foot circle with shade and water. He was too clever and was always escaping and preferred under the raspberry bushes instead.

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    1. What a sweet story, David! He might have preferred the raspberry bushes but I bet he stayed close – he knew he had found a good thing with your family!

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  9. You are right that life lessons never stop coming. I am one who believes it’s usually for the best to pay attention to the life lesson in front of you, but if you don’t it’ll hound you until you do.

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  10. I love how you share lessons which always have a deeper application, after all if we’re preparing kids to be healthy functioning adults, then the lessons will resonate with out adult lives! Bravo!

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    1. I hadn’t connected the dots as to why the lessons always resonate with me so much — but of course, that makes perfect sense. If we’re teaching them to be adults, it’s a lesson for us too. Thanks, Tamara!

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  12. Makes me want to sing a Rolling Stones tune… : ) Can’t always get… I think these are very important lessons, to learn that we cannot get everything we want when we want it. I think a company that begins with A might disagree with me. R

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  13. Dealing with life’s disappointments is doubly hard when we experience it through our kids’ eyes. But it’s all part of growing up. You seem to have handled the Amazon situation with your daughter well. And maybe one of these days, your son may very well reach that moon yet!

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    1. I think you are right – all part of growing up. And we get to grow up a little more alongside them, right? Your comment about the moon is so sweet. Maybe so! Could you an imagine a spaceship someday with T, Miss O and Mr D all on it?

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  14. I always love how thoughtful and reflective your posts are. But I’m currently having a bad day (month? semester?) and lamenting on the fact that life never stops teaching you lessons. Like please, life I could really use a break!

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    1. Oh darn, that’s so hard. I’m so sorry about your day, month, semester. You are so close to the finish line on so many things – I hope you get over that line and get to rest!

      And thank you so much for the lovely comment, even in the midst of your bad day. It shows how much tenacity you have! 🙂

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  15. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by life lessons but I would rather be reminded daily of the nuggets than listen to the negativity surrounding us. It humbles to not get what you want and even more when you get what you wanted. Thanks

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    1. This is such a wise comment. Yes, we are humbled both when we don’t get what we want and we do! Thank your for reading, commenting, and adding this to the conversation!

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