Perspective

Perspective:

I have come to the realization that I cannot force myself to blog.  My blogs come from inspirational moments at inspirational times.  This morning my dishwasher lays open with the bottom rack pulled out, all clean dishes, except for the one dirty cereal spoon my son threw in there by accident!  The fire place is on and my breakfast dishes lay in front of it where I ate so peacefully earlier.  My runners, my mobile, a spelling test, a business card, the family cat, a small train track and a few derailed trains are scattered on the living room carpet.  Stacey Kent swoons in the background and the sun is streaming in the window… and for whatever unknown reason I am compelled to write about ‘perspective’.  I have mulled this topic over and over in my head – on the drive to my kid’s school, on the elliptical, while swimming laps, while making dinner… well let’s just say a lot! 

This one little word has the potential to change the way in which we view our lives and when it comes to raising kids it can really make or break us.  I know I have lost it over things that don’t really matter… The time my son decided to let his backpack casually slide off his shoulders as he clambered into my car  and failed to mention it to me as we drove off… when my youngest son peed on my favourite pillow – which couldn’t be recovered… the day I lost my temper just because I felt overwhelmed by life and then I thought for sure I ruined my children forever because I raised my voice and potentially looked like a scary mom and now they are doomed and they will never recover and I thought by far I was the worst mom in the world… yes, that fine day, I had no perspective at all!

So if I were to define this sweet little word that saves us I would say it means… ‘in the grand scheme of things’.  We all have the capacity to be perspective and yet to find it more often it is good to know what cues us to being in that frame of mind.  So today on this beautiful morning my question to you is, where do you find your perspective?  What reminds you that you are a great parent?  What thoughts bring you the realization that your kids are great kids? 

I know I can be way too hard on myself when it comes to parenting.  I use witty sarcasm to bring perspective back into my world… so when I think I have ruined my kids I tell myself that I should just stop feeding them vegetables, forget about going to school, not bother brushing their teeth… what’s the point I made a parenting mistake this morning and now its all downhill from here, they’re doomed and so am I.  Then I start laughing at myself and realize that when I blunder as a mom it is simply an opportunity to realize that I am not perfect, and I can teach my kids a whole world of lessons through making mistakes.  I have a poster that hangs in my family room that has the famous saying ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ –  that framed poster has cued me many times to find my patience.  I also find my perspective in my everyday appreciations… just the small ones… the ones that allow me to be thankful for my quiet morning moments and my warm coffee.  So on this brisk November day ask yourself where you find yours and relish in it as it makes you the great parent that you are!!!

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A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

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