Written by It was a strawberry Fruit Loop. So innocently offered was this unassuming lure; all chunky and lopsided with sugar crystals disproportionately spread around the pale red morsel. I looked it over and glanced at the owner of the extended hand that held the treat. Two sad blue eyes behind tousled locks, and her eyebrows knitted in a frown from her frustrated chase. “I can’t catch her. Can you help us?” The girl and her sister had been chasing the little stray dog that had been roaming the park when we arrived. They had no success despite their tireless attempts, so Kendra volunteered my services in helping them capture the pup. The girls were very concerned that the dog would run into some type of harm or another, so they eagerly sought my support. Harmless enough, I thought. Use the cereal to attract the dog, or at least give it an honest effort and then get back to watching the boys climb on the park equipment. I reached out and grabbed the Fruit Loop… and little did I realize, I had sprung the trap.
Posts tagged Lessons
the little things (count your blessings)
It is always the little things, the inconveniences; the frustrations; the annoyances; the unexpected twists in the day, that tend to get me worked up and make me lose focus. Those obstacles distract me from noticing or remembering all the other little things that make life beautiful. In order to help myself choose to see the beauty and blessings of every day, I’ve decided to keep a list. This list will grow over time, and items will be captured in no particular order other than the order in which they occur to me at any given moment. I expect the “little things list” will appear here periodically… picking up wherever the last post ended. I hope some of these things are recognizable to you… READ MORE »
Pop Quiz
It was a little black sanding sponge. I handed it to Ethan to put back in the cart while Kendra and I sought out materials for a table refinishing project. Ethan toddled proudly over to the cart and stretched his little body upward. He nearly stepped out of his shoes as he perched up on his toes. He grasped the side of the cart to stabilize himself and slid his arm over the side of the basket. I watched him gingerly set the sponge down in the upper basket and slowly withdraw his hand. His task complete, he gave himself a tiny clap and turned to me with a satisfied smile. READ MORE »
I understand.
I was on the freeway when I received the call. I was about three quarters of the way through my morning commute, and in the middle of a teleconference. I couldn’t tell who it was…the caller ID displayed my office phone, which had forwarded the call. I almost ignored it and sent it to voice mail, but I just had that feeling. I knew I had to answer the phone. I could feel my body tense up as I pressed the answer key. I said hello… the caller identified herself, and began to state the nature of her call. She said my son’s name… I am not certain I breathed again for the next 10 minutes. My head was in a fog… I felt physical pain, like I’d been trampled and kicked by horses. I vacillated between rage and despair; consumed by fear for the future of our child. I somehow managed to conduct the conversation and navigate across several lanes of traffic towards an offramp while I slowly felt slip the grip I thought I held on my world and my reality. Bleary-eyed and shaken, I turned the car around and headed towards home. READ MORE »
So…
I can remember moments in my childhood when I was doing some bizarre thing or another and I would happen to catch my parents watching me. They wouldn’t say anything; maybe chuckle or smile. I’d ask “what?” but they’d never reply. They would just have that look. I now understand that thoughtful gaze. I look at my boys the same way sometimes and I just think, “Wow… What lies ahead?” I wonder what paths they will choose…who they will become… what kind of lives they will lead… but most often, I wonder what fire will burn deep inside of them. What will be the thing that drives them? What will be their great passions in life?… Will they pursue them?
