Wednesday 13 June 2012

Who's teaching who, here?

As a mum, my heart often feels like it's going to explode for all the love I have inside it.  Tears of joy and wonder usually aren't too far behind but I try to keep those in check for the comfort of those around me ("Oh, here she goes again!") but I let that love bubble forth because that's what it's meant to do - we feel love so we can show love.  And no better time than from parent to child.

One of those 'I'm-so-in-love-with-my-daughter-I-think-I'm-going-to-explode' moments last week was when I was walking with my daughter as she navigated the rocky and tree-root-riddled footpath outside our house.  Every few steps she would stumble and fall, say quietly "Oh dear", before pushing herself back up to standing to keep going, over and over and over again.  It broke my heart because she never got annoyed or grizzled or cried to stayed sitting on her bottom.  She just kept getting back up.  And her SMILE!  Through all the stumbles and "Oh dears" she was smiling like she was the smartest, most clever, most talented little girl in the world.  And I hope she saw the affirmation on my face.

"Oh please!  It's just a baby learning to walk!" I hear you say.  Okay - bare with me.  I am getting somewhere with this.  Just had to gush first.

Watching my girl this occasion got me thinking.  How often do I keep getting back up when I fall?  I'm sure I would try a few times, but I would give up pretty quickly.  I'd be annoyed at myself for not perfecting whatever I was trying to do immediately.  And I'd be embarrassed that someone was WATCHING me fall repeatedly.  And I'd eventually make myself comfortable on the ground, then try to appreciate the view from where I was - come up with some 'spin' on why I was on my butt and how great it was to be down there.  I certainly wouldn't celebrate the few steps I took between falls!

My daughter kept getting up because she knew she could do it, and she knows she's meant to do it - it's hardwired into her DNA.  How many things would we keep trying to do, despite repeated failures, because we knew we could and were meant to do something?  There wouldn't be cures for diseases and vaccines for illnesses if scientists didn't have that attitude wired into their DNA, too, now would we?

Time to get back up!

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