Saturday, March 30, 2013

The right track….

 

baby

I’m a worrier….

I know it contradicts with my “chilled out” lifestyle.  (Or what SOME PERCIEVE as my “chilled out lifestyle”)

What can I say???   Old habits die hard.

I can’t help it…

I worry.

I fret.

I fear.

When I was younger….I had NO FEAR.

I did things that MOST people wouldn’t dream of.

Some good things…mostly- not so good things.

All because of a lack of FEAR in my life.

A lack AWARENESS that …in life – FEAR can keep you in check.

FEAR of consequences.

FEAR of what happens when you have NO FEAR.

It’s healthy….As long as you USE it to motivate you. (that’s what I tell myself, anyway.)

In my life …FEAR sneaks in when I waste too much time thinking  about-

raising my kids

who they will BE

teaching them

training them

educating them

I fear it all.

But mostly…

I

fear

if

what

I

am

doing

is

ENOUGH????

Are the lessons that I am teaching them going to prepare them for LIFE?

Am I doing a good enough job teaching them about what is REAL and IMPORTANT in life???

Is the example we, as parents, are setting GOOD ENOUGH?

Then….

there are times when I am GRANTED a small blessing.

A gift of insight…

Like tonight….I was babysitting a friends baby(11 months).  She had never stayed with us before, so she was a bit “timid” at first.  She went from kid to kid and back to me again.  She was tired, but would. not. let. go.

All the kids took a swing at sitting with her and walking her around.

Bless their hearts…they all tried.

She.

wasn’t.

having.

it.

She was going to FUSS about it.

I mean…that is what they do.

But…I’ve done this a time or 10,637.  I knew that she would eventually wear herself out and go to sleep.  The fussing doesn’t bother me.

It did bother ZEEK.  He came out of his room, where he was watching “The Mummy”.  Do you KNOW how hard it is to get a 12 year old boy to pull himself away from an action movie????

The fact that he came out of his ROOM because she was crying said enough.

That baby was pulling on his heart strings.

And let’s face it ….he is NO STRANGER to babies.

His Dad is the “baby whisperer”.

No really.

Anyway….

Then he did something amazing.

He said, “Give her to me Mom.  I’ll walk her around.  I think she is just fighting sleep.”

I smiled and my heart melted.

Then for about 45 min….

He walked her around.

He bounced her.

He fed her a bottle.

He rocked her.

He was patient and kind and he put her to sleep.

And as I was watching this I was blessed with a thought..

It occurred to me that I didn’t need to FEAR so much in my life now.

I don’t need to WONDER…

are we doing enough?

how will they “turn out”?

I had proof standing in front of me that I was doing SOMETHING right.

I have a 12 year old son that is -

patient enough..

compassionate enough..

unselfish enough..

and

LOVES enough…

to put a baby he barely knows to sleep, without being asked.

I’d say were on the right track………..

3 comments:

Cindy Keith said...

Beautifully written. Made me cry because it's so true. Your kids (my "little" great nephews and great nieces) are becoming great big-hearted people. Well done! XOXO

Nancy Prevatt said...

Usually I say that your blog made me cry and tonight was no exception. But tonight it was personal and what really melts my heart is how your baby ( YOUNG MAN that he is) loved my baby JUST BECAUSE. I'd say you're definitely "on the right track."

Mom said...

You are a wonderful Mom and don't you ever forget it. Your kids (my grandchildren ) are warm, sweet, and caring. They will grow up to be wonderful adults. I love you bunches.