The Kid Journey
March 27, 2008 – 8:32 amI was with one of my brothers yesterday. He has one daughter, who is 7 months. I have three wonderful, beautiful children (ages 6, 4, and 2). We went to see him and go to a small zoo near his house. After dinner I was talking with my sister-in-law about the way each additional child changed our lives. The dynamics changed with each addition, even without taking into account the personality of the individual child. It has been a great, fast paced, unpredictable journey filled with hopes and joys.
Yet at times, I lose track of the journey aspect of it. My parenting becomes moment to moment and the end all is to just establish some sense of order. In those times, I can become wrapped up in the “beauty” of the moment, like “gazing” at a snapshot and “savoring” every aspect of color while the world (and the children) continue on in HD, high-speed video. These moments when everything gets crazy and unsettled, my focus and balance can be similar to being spun around a few hundred times. In those times, I have no choice but to unconsciously rely on the fundamentals that have been instilled in me and hope to stay on my feet.
My faith helps me to stay focused in those times so that life and the timeline gets lengthened in a really healthy, peace-filled way. When I was talking with my sister-in-law yesterday, I had one of those peace-filled, God moments where I was strangely warmed. And I continue to pray that God instills in me that sense of peace even in the dizziest of times.
