The most valuable thing I did today was play with my two girls (2 and 4 years old) for 30 minutes. They were dressed for fun in their princess garb with bare feet. It was a simple game that combined elements of tag, hide and seek, capture, and a huge element of surprise. We made up the “rules” as we went.
Our basement is full of hiding places, dark corners (when the lights are off), and most importantly, a “loop” that kids require for running around and chasing each other in circles. It would start by saying “I’m going to get you!” and the chase began. I’d double back and surprise them on the other side of the loop. They would scream with delight and turn around to run the other direction immediately and without thought. Sometimes they wanted to get caught and then attempt escape from the couch and pillow fortress. They would hide and I’d search for them. Hearing their giggles as I walked by “unknowingly” made it easy to find them. I’d hide behind a couch or table and surprise them. A soft blanket provided another great hiding place as well as a furry “hug monster”.
Mostly, they just loved the surprise of never knowing where I’d show up next. I sure got my aerobics workout for the day, had fun, and built a memory for my kids at the same time. I know that TIME together speaks love to them. So, although, the game could seem pointless and non-productive, its results will last a lifetime as they remember the fun they had together with their dad.
Life is full of twists, turns, and surprises. There are many things we might never expect would happen to us like job loss, divorces, health issues, etc. All these things are CHANGE that we have to adapt to. It is our choice HOW we handle the change.
If we can delight as kids do in the change, embrace it, and immediately change our direction, plan, and attitude to deal with it we are so much better off. We may not understand WHY. Sometimes there aren’t good reasons. Life is just that way. So much is out of our control. When we accept and say “yes” to whatever the next thing is we can move on and even inspire others.
Ask yourself: What are the best things I can do TODAY to move forward? That’s all you can do. You can’t expect more from yourself. You can only work with what information you know right now. Ask trusted advisors for help when you don’t know what to do. Life will go on and you can go on with it.
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