Living in the Moment with Life’s Little Things
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault There is much talk about being in the moment these days. And yet, how do we live in the moment when we are so busy, when our minds race from one thing to another? And what does it really mean to be in the moment, anyways? For me, it is quite simple. It means savoring every little experience throughout my day as best as possible, resting in my senses—feeling the miracle of warm water caressing my back in the shower; smelling the sweetness of freshly baked muffins in the oven; imbibing the vibrant colors of the lilies and daffodils in the fields, the drifting […]
Give People Something to Play With ~ Enrolling Others into the Spirit of Yes And
The more you give people things to play with, the more they can give back to you, and the world! When you practice the Spirit of Yes And, you discover how easy it is to make people smile in the simplest ways. Their smile opens them up to their heart, and more fully allows them to give back. I was standing at a grocery checkout line waiting to purchase a whole pie for a potluck, when an elderly lady in front of me turned around and said, “That looks like a yummy pie!” I was happy! She was inviting me to play! “Yes it is,” I replied. “I plan to eat it all myself!” Grin! I passed the ball back to her. And then she smiled and laughed. I […]
How to Turn a Snake into a Sword ~ From Reasoning to Playing Along
“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.” ~Angela Schwindt A three-year-old girl was attempting to play with her older brothers who were messing around with swords. The mother didn’t know why she was bothering her brothers’ boyish fun, and was tempted to redirect her to something more suitable. In that moment, however, she caught herself. She went on to say, “Instead of reasoning, I met her in her world.” The daughter had a toy snake in her hand, and the mother moved next to her and suggested that maybe she could use it as a sword. She played along with her daughter’s imaginative impulses, and validated her in the process. Mom parked her […]
Doing For Versus Playing With ~ Balancing Responsibilities with Joyful Connection
“Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.” ~ Richard L. Evans An interesting question to ask yourself is, How much did your parents play with you when you were a child? If you were one of the lucky ones, your parents played with you a lot. But for so many others, their parents were focused more on the responsibilities of being a parent than on being a playful companion. This the difference between doing for and playing with. When we do for, we are less connected to the other, and more focused on an agenda in our minds such as driving our kids somewhere or cooking dinner. We are task oriented and in doing […]