Viewing the World Like a Child

My daughters challenge me constantly.

Lately, they are reminding me to be happy and to be excited about the little things. My almost two year old, Elliana, loves pumpkins. Today we went to the grocery store and to her delight, there was a huge pumpkin display. She ran right up and said, “WHOA! PUMPKINS!” as she handed me the perfect sized mini pumpkins. She made other patrons smile with her laughter and excitement as she pointed to all the pumpkins she could see.   

My little one does this too. You should see the way she kicks her feet with gusto or crawls at the speed of light for something that catches her eye.

My favorite is the way their faces light up when they hear my husband come home. Elliana immediately stops what she is doing and runs to greet him. If I’m holding Hanna she starts to bounce and dance her legs when she hears him or sees him.

I realize how easily I let myself be weighed down by the stresses and struggles of the day. I barely notice things around me because I’m so focused on my “to do” list, or getting the kids home for nap time. It should be me running first to greet my husband at the door excitedly.

I need to view the world through their eyes, like I’m seeing things for the first time. I need to drop the baggage from the day and run with open arms to my husband when he gets home. I need to laugh and sing and dance.

Let’s work on this together. Here’s my challenge: Do one thing each day this week that fills you with joy. Savor it, remember it, and keep that feeling with you as long as you can!