Life has a funny way of delivering just what you need, when you need it, provided you are keeping an eye out and open to seeing it.
Tuesday was one of those days where I was dragging a little. Feeling a little glum and undermotivated, it was admittedly a bit of a struggle to power through the work day. Henry was a bit of a handful, as 4-year-old kids can sometimes be, I was tired, and everything felt a little overwhelming.
But throughout the day, I would interact with Amelia, who was all smiles and positivity. I should have picked up on the lesson hiding there when she sat down at breakfast with me, acting out a little skit with her Octonauts figures.
Quick side note, any parents out there who haven’t introduced their kids to Octonauts, check it out. It’s a really fun show that I would describe as kind of underwater Star Trek for kids. A diverse crew goes on adventures and you learn about a new marine animal in each episode. It’s on Netflix, and very popular in our house.
But I digress. Point is that throughout the day, Amelia was seeking me out, asking lots of questions, and just being sweet. But I was too mired in my own nonsense to realize she was there, wanting time with me, and like a tow cable, ready to pull me out of my funk.
After dinner, I played superheroes in the backyard with the kids for a little while. Amelia was very insistent on organizing a superhero meeting, where she got up on the lectern and Henry and I had to sit in our places and listen.
It was indeed a good meeting, but I was still dragging and so was Henry. He petered out a little early and Erin took him to bed. I promised Amelia I’d play outside with her some more before bedtime. It was a beautiful night out, and we just started talking.
I laid down in the grass, and Amelia joined me. She asked me questions about my growing up, about the world, animals, science, weather, and all kinds of other things. We had a delightful conversation, and I could feel my energy shifting.
Amelia had been asking for some daddy/daughter time for a while, and I keep meaning to do that and the days keep flying by. A few minutes into our chat, Amelia said, “Hey, we’re having a daddy/daughter date!”
It is very easy to get overwhelmed by all the negativity in the world right now. But Amelia reminded me that we are actually surrounded by positivity, hope and love. Life may have gotten weird…and boy, has it ever…but we all have those good things to grab onto.
Lying in the grass, having a carefree conversation with my daughter, turned out to be exactly what we both needed. And I wouldn’t have seen that on my own. I needed my daughter’s help. I was too stuck on the things I had to do and things I was worrying about. I had to open up and listen.
Amelia, through her persistence, relentless positivity and sunny disposition, pulled me out. All those worries melted away for a while and I was truly present in that moment. A moment that now definitely gets filed away in my admittedly large “Favorites” folder.
I hope I can learn from this and be more open to the positive energy the universe puts in front of me. And I hope everyone reading this can, too. It can be kids, spouses, family members, friends, pets, nature, a great song or even a really, really good sandwich. Let the good moments in and savor them. It doesn’t always feel like light is more powerful than dark, but trust me, it is.
