Often times the little things in life provide the biggest lessons.
My little girl LOVES stickers. Recently she was given a full sheet of princess stickers.
‘Excitement’ doesn’t begin to describe the look on her face. She was in heaven!
She very quickly peeled them off and began sticking them all over herself. In no time flat all of the stickers were gone having been used to beautify her shirt. She came running to me announcing, “Mommy, I’m so PWETTY!”
Before I could pull out my phone to take a picture she had disappeared. When I tracked her down the stickers were gone.
I said, “What happened to all your pretty stickers?”
She answered, “They’re gone.” As she ran off to play in her room, I saw some of her stickers on the couch (I have no idea what she did with the rest of them).
To tell the truth, I had a little sick feeling over how fast the WHOLE PAGE of stickers had been used. Less than 10 minutes. I had wanted to tell her to save them. That way she could have enjoyed them later. But I had let her decide what she wanted to do with her little treasure.
She had had a different idea. She had wanted to use them all now, and had enjoyed every minute of it. She was living in the moment. And loving it.
I often ask my kids if they will just stop growing up. “Just stay little forever,” I plead. They laugh and think I’m joking. And sometimes I just can’t wait until they are all grown and gone and my house will stay clean for more than 15 seconds. But really, I want my page of little stickers to last forever.
It won’t though. Little by little time chips away at all my stickers and before I know it they are gone.
All that’s left is my memory of how fun I made it, or didn’t.
My little girl has it right. Enjoy everything in the moment. Make it fun.
And when it’s over, move on.
But I’ll be sure to take it with me in my heart.
Tears!
Amen little girl…
I so agree! I was a sticker hoarder as a kid and never used most of them. They were a special treat. Watching my kid empty a whole sheet of sticker in two minutes used to stress me out but I try to take the same tact you have – let him enjoy them, don’t spoil the joy, and don’t make him into a hoarder that places too much value on things that don’t matter. Maybe then he can avoid some of my anxiety over dumb things like stickers.
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