The poor child not only inherited my wonky toes, he also got more than his share of the worry genes and consequently worries excessively about all of the what ifs in life.
That said, he also happens to courageously apply the same level of effort that he puts into his worries into facing them too... and that rocks!
As a parent you naturally assume that it is our role to teach them about life... and yet it seems that it is them that teaches me something, pretty much every single day.Watching the way my boys enjoy every day... like the sink your teeth into the kebab kind of way I talked about late last year, makes me look at things differently for myself.
In my opinion, kids see the world in the way it was meant to be viewed - beautiful, exciting and an endless adventure.
For the past two years Sam has been desperate to learn to surf so that he can go surfing with his dad and his older brother.
He wanted to...
But he just couldn't.
Until this past weekend.
A few years back, he was pushed into doing an ocean swim at Nippers that he really wasn't ready to do. He got dumped... big time, and consequently he lost all his confidence in the ocean.
For some reason, unbeknown even to him, Saturday was the day that he decided that he was ready to try again and go back into the very same ocean that dumped him before and learn to surf.
And so he did, and dude - you nailed it!
He paddled out and turned the board and on his second attempt he stood up and rode the wave all the way to the beach.
The smile on his face was a magnificent mix of pure joy, pride and holy smokes batman... did you see what I just did!
After a few more waves, the inevitable happened - he got dumped.
He came out of the surf, the board under his arm and gasping for breath and the look on his face told me that this moment could be a game changer. Fear was once again threatening to steal the joy from his morning's successes and rob him of the nerve to do this one thing he so badly wanted to be able to do.
We told him that he has a choice... let his fear take the reigns and put a stop to this dream of his, or get back out there and say "stuff you" to the nerves and to the voice in his head that was telling him that he shouldn't and that he can't.
He chose the "stuff you" option and within minutes was back out there chasing wave after wave and having the time of his life.
Your courage and your success in the face of fear has inspired me to say "stuff you" more often to my own fears and to get out there and do whatever it is I want to do.
Most importantly... you have inspired me to get out in life and enjoy the ride.
Have your kids ever taught you something major in life?
Have you conquered any fears lately?
