The immeasurable amount of wisdom that can be gained by having a four year old

So this morning one of the first things that happened was I walked into my daughter's room and saw her sitting on her bed with a pair of scissors and a hand mirror. My first thought was "Oh, shit, she cut her hair" but then I just saw that it was messy because we didn't dry it very well last night after her bath and she just slept on it wet. So I take away the scissors and talk to her about always asking an adult before she tries to cut something. About 45 minutes later I hear my wife get mad. I jump up and run to my daughters room where my wife is sitting with a little chunk of hair. Little had cut her hair. So we make her go throw it away. I walk into the bathroom and there is more hair on the counter, I look down and there is more hair in the toilet, I look left and there is MORE hair in the trash. Not only did she cut her hair but she seemed to do it every three steps. This whole time we are trying to be stern and reprimand our daughter but I have to keep walking out of the room so the little girl doesn't see me laughing.

I carried the morning's events with me throughout the day. I was thinking about how much that situation is like life. Things happen that can make you mad. You must find a way to resolve the issue. You realize that with time it will all work out (or grow back). And lastly, sometimes you just have to laugh about it. Little did I know I would soon be putting this new found wisdom to use.

Our "After the Baby-Baby Shower" was today. Wife and I get there early to get things ready and while I was chopping some veggies I got some news that upset me quite a bit. All at once 35 years of pent-up frustration all boiled to the top and I flew off the handle. Threw my phone as hard as I could at the floor and took off. Now, I am no stranger to taking off. I was, in the past, actually a sponsorship deal away from becoming a professional "Storm-er Off-er". As I am walking I start to repeat the "Serenity" Prayer over and over and over. And as I get about two blocks away I come to the park, sit down on a bench, light a second cigarette and realize that this is a situation that I cannot fix. All I can fix is myself. And in that moment I had the wisdom to know the difference. As I sat there all kinds of things went through my head. Where I ended up was doing the opposite of what I would have done three years ago-I walked back to the house, finished chopping veggies, welcomed or guests and became evolved with the party. I had a great time. Laughs were had. Good times by all. I am blessed to have had such great tools given to me. And I am blessed to have a daughter how gives me such great wisdom. 'Nite Y'all.

 

You can learn many things from children.  How much patience you have, for instance. 

~Franklin P. Jones