Here are 13 of the lessons I have learned from the little people in my life. There are so many more but I narrowed it down to just 13!
1. To slow down and stop being in a hurry. Take time to smell the roses so to speak. They aren’t in a hurry to get where they are going. They stop and take notice of the beauty that surrounds them…a pretty rock, the moon, to smell a flower, to watch a bug, to smile and say hello to the person walking past…ect.
2. Dance. They don’t stop and think if their good at it or not, they dance and they think their good. This past Saturday, I got together with girlfriends at a friends house and we did a lot of dancing and my most favorite part was dancing in the snow to “Girls just wanna have fun“.
3. To let it all out and then move on. To forgive and then let it go. When their angry, they express it and get it all out and then they feel better. Have you ever watched 2 kids go at it over a toy or something else? They fight, forgive and then they are best friends again.
4. To find joy in the simple. Little people find joy in the simple things in life. Give them an empty box and they will have hours of fun. Put them in a tub of water with a couple of cups and their joy overflows. When they see the moon and the stars, they express their amazement and joy as if they are seeing them for the first time.
5. To wear clothes that I love. If you leave it up to children, they will wear what they love, feel comfortable in and they dress for themselves, not others. They don’t worry over “how it looks” or what people will think. I have come to realize that I love hats and have let the thoughts of looking silly, keep me from getting one, but, I am planning on getting one in the near future!6. To laugh and smile…even over the small things. It’s contagious! Little people find humor in the smallest things. They smile at strangers. They aren’t afraid to show their excitement about something…their squeals of delight over playing at the park, can lighten any mood. Listen to a child giggle...it is infectious and you can't help but smile or laugh back. When I laugh or smile I feel so much better.
7. To treat myself to something I like. This one is hard for me. Little people love treats and they savor every bit of them. They don’t obsess over whether it’s good for them or how many calories are in them.
8. The importance of touch and asking for it when I need it. Little people love hugs, kisses, tickles, having their backs, tummy’s and heads rubbed…and their not afraid to ask for these because these things make them feel good.
9. To do things I love every day. Little people do things they love every day… it’s part of what makes the world go around for them. They look forward to getting up in the morning because they know they are going to do something they love to do.
10. To compliment myself and accept them from others. This one is very hard for me but I am working on it! Little people are not afraid to toot their own horn and they simply love when we praise them for something. They take pride in the things they do.
11. To have fun getting dirty, messy or wet. Little people love digging in the dirt, splashing in the water, painting, and jumping in mud puddles. They do these things with gusto and with no concern over getting messy. You should have seen us the day we painted the boxes…these were their masterpieces and it was serious business for them regardless of how much paint covered them and me.
12. To imagine or dare to dream the impossible. Nothing is impossible to little people. They imagine themselves doing and being and don’t limit themselves to those things that are logical…and they have fun doing it.
13. To express love to those I love. Little people don’t hold back with showing their feelings. They hold hands with a person they love. They aren’t embarrassed run up to someone they love and hug them. They say "I like you." and "I love you." and "You're the best." When they love someone, they express it, and the person knows it!
Children are amazing teachers and some of their lessons escape us because of their simplicity. Are there any life lessons you have learned from little people in your life?
17 comments:
This is nice! I'm sure I could answer that question better when my kids were "little people", but that's been quite some time ago now.
However, as Beloved's oldest is expecting our first grandchild, I'm sure I'll have ample opportunity to relearn it all in the very near future.
OH - one thing I've already learned is that when you have an adult child who is expecting, you go from suddenly being the dumbest people on the planet to the Repository of All Knowledge on Pregnancy, Childbirth and Child Rearing.
This is a fantastic list. Great post.
I love all those lessons learned. I need to remember a few of them for my day to day life. This would make such a great little book....perhaps that is in your future???
Remember those posters and cards that were something like: "everything I know, I learned from my cat"....or dog....You could so make one of those..."everything I learned from my Little People"
how cute would that be?
Thank you, thank you, thank you! That was a beautiful post!
I re-learned the dancing one last night in my kitchen with Pita and AB while making cookies. Pita wanted some music. So we put some on and danced while the cookies baked. I will treasure that memory for a long, long time.
I, too, LOVE hats. I have gotten more brave about wearing them in the last several years. Every time I wear one - can you quess what the most common comment is? "Boy, I love hats. I wish I were brave enough to wear them!"
What a lovely reminder that we should all live as though looking through the eyes of a child. Sometimes life gets so big it blocks our view of what is important.
You are the best!!!
I adored this post.
You are so right. I learn to cherish every moment, every chuckle, every smile and every hug.
I just love my job- and it sounds like YOU do to.
I am still stuck back on the love bucket thing. And now this post to ponder as well. This one I am printing and saving. On actual paper with ink.
Love!
What I learn from the kids are a big reason I coach so many kids in so many sports. I even coach teams without my kids playing on the teams.
Great list, Lori. We can all learn a lot from children.
How 'bout not being ashamed/embarrassed about one's own body?
My daughter, when she was about 22 months old, used to climb up on our king sized log bed after her bath and dance laps around the mattress in all her naked glory until she was not only completely dry, but also totally exhausted...and then collapse in a pile of naked giggles. Oh, and she would sing, "Doo la la, doo la la...!" the entire time as well.
It always looked so therapeutic and stress relieving. I once blogged about it over at my place (it was a loooooong time ago), and I suggested at the time that the world would probably be a lot nicer place if everyone did a naked "doo la la" dance every so often in the privacy of their own home.
At the minimum, not having body image issues would be freeing.
Lori...this may be my most 'favouritest' post ever that i have read of yours. What a great set of lessons that i think i will print off and try to start living by...Amazing...
*word veri = widesofi
'Widesofi enjoy life so much?'
'Cos she learned Lori's Little People Rules for Life!' ;)
You are so right!! Children are wonderful teachers. My children have taught me so much that I cannot pin it down to just one thing.
The main thing though - how to love unconditionally
This is absolutely beautiful... I particularly love this:
"11. To have fun getting dirty, messy or wet."
TRUE STORY. Life is too short to worry about your hair. Get muddy, get wet, get laughing!
I'm with queenofphrump, I'm still contemplating the beauty and intelligence of the bucket.
For me, number 3 really resonates. Just imagine what our lives and the world would look like if people didn't hold grudges for days and years and decades and centuries? It would look like a place where you could stop and smell the roses without worrying about the thorns.
Hey after reading the comments I think you do write a lot of things that would be good in a book- think you can put them all together? I'd buy it!
These are such beautiful lessons! Thank you for posting these! I am so thankful you took time to paint box houses. I know the children will have hours of fun and even more importantly, memories of a Grammy that loved them and made them magic villages : ).
What a blessing this was today!
beautifully written, i too like the honesty and the pureness of a child, i love watching them learn and love to show them things and teach them things that they have never experienced before. i am really enjoying being a gramma, i'd like them to stay young forever, unfortunatly over time they turn into someone so far from who they were when they started out in this life. with luch tho, they turn out "just fine", we can only hope.
take care my friend.
p.s. i still like playing in the dirt and getting dirty, i also LOVE hats too! even if i tend to look silly in them.........oh well
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