So apparently the need to wallow in our own self-hatred doesn't build over a lifetime of dysfunctional family problems, bad decisions and abuse, it starts at a much earlier age....like 4, for example.
I found this out today, when the 4-year-old that I regularly nanny for had some seriously hilarious yet perspective-inducing things to say after waking him from his impromptu and restricted nap. (He's getting close to 5 and his mom doesn't want him napping otherwise he won't fall asleep when its bedtime. So when I went to put the other one down, which took a while, the older one promptly laid down on the couch under a blanket and passed out.) He started whining and crying, which was to be expected, but the after about 10 minutes of this, I ask him what he wants to do. Does he want to play legos? (his favorite thing) Go outside? (maybe second favorite) No, no, no, he'll have none of that. So as he's lying dramatically on the ground with his arm draped across his forehead, he says to me, "Miss Courtney, I dont want you to do anything that will make me happy. Miss Courtney, I'm just going to do nothing, don't try to do anything I like. I don't want to be happy." Oh vey! Whoa is me and my little 4-year-old self!
To see a small child act like a broke, recently dumped, living-in-his-parents-basement-30-year-old is truly a sight to see, but the best part about it was, I can without a doubt say I felt like this, maybe, no less than 5000 times in my adult life, where nothing and no one in the world could make me happy and life was not worth living, over, I'm sure, nothing more than being woken up from my nap. I couldn't help but laugh at him, and think to myself, no, it does not get any better, my little grasshopper, no and it never will, not until you can see for yourself the humor in the situation. Until you realize that the terrible horrible life-ending fill-in-the-blank-moment that's happening right now is not the end of the world. Thank you, young 4-year-old, to help me remember this very important lesson, especially when I'm about to embark on one of the craziest adventures of my life. This "advice" will be my savior when I'm no doubt feeling like that in Jamaica next month, and probably for the next 27 months. But alas, no one can expect a 4 year old to realize, let alone understand, this perspective on life; good thing for a short attention span....at the moment he's is very happily playing outside, without a care in the world :)
God bless me with a short attention span. Amen.
Thankful for today:
Got out of work early
Going to a free movie tonight (kinda, using my expired livingsocial deal)
Yummy food last night
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Biking
Air Conditioning
My friends <3
I found this out today, when the 4-year-old that I regularly nanny for had some seriously hilarious yet perspective-inducing things to say after waking him from his impromptu and restricted nap. (He's getting close to 5 and his mom doesn't want him napping otherwise he won't fall asleep when its bedtime. So when I went to put the other one down, which took a while, the older one promptly laid down on the couch under a blanket and passed out.) He started whining and crying, which was to be expected, but the after about 10 minutes of this, I ask him what he wants to do. Does he want to play legos? (his favorite thing) Go outside? (maybe second favorite) No, no, no, he'll have none of that. So as he's lying dramatically on the ground with his arm draped across his forehead, he says to me, "Miss Courtney, I dont want you to do anything that will make me happy. Miss Courtney, I'm just going to do nothing, don't try to do anything I like. I don't want to be happy." Oh vey! Whoa is me and my little 4-year-old self!
To see a small child act like a broke, recently dumped, living-in-his-parents-basement-30-year-old is truly a sight to see, but the best part about it was, I can without a doubt say I felt like this, maybe, no less than 5000 times in my adult life, where nothing and no one in the world could make me happy and life was not worth living, over, I'm sure, nothing more than being woken up from my nap. I couldn't help but laugh at him, and think to myself, no, it does not get any better, my little grasshopper, no and it never will, not until you can see for yourself the humor in the situation. Until you realize that the terrible horrible life-ending fill-in-the-blank-moment that's happening right now is not the end of the world. Thank you, young 4-year-old, to help me remember this very important lesson, especially when I'm about to embark on one of the craziest adventures of my life. This "advice" will be my savior when I'm no doubt feeling like that in Jamaica next month, and probably for the next 27 months. But alas, no one can expect a 4 year old to realize, let alone understand, this perspective on life; good thing for a short attention span....at the moment he's is very happily playing outside, without a care in the world :)
God bless me with a short attention span. Amen.
Thankful for today:
Got out of work early
Going to a free movie tonight (kinda, using my expired livingsocial deal)
Yummy food last night
Ice Cream Sandwiches
Biking
Air Conditioning
My friends <3
Get your "secret" on, post a comment to tell me what you are thankful for today!
1 comment:
Yay I love this!!! I'm so excited to follow it! You'll be my first blog that I keep up with. Now you can add that to your list of things to be grateful for :) And let's see, I am grateful for......
My new job!
The girls actually seem like they're going to miss me, which is flattering
My new house!!
I found missing documents on my computer
We're hanging out tomorrow and DOPO is on THURSDAY! What could be better than that?!
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