40 Reflections: 40 days of raw recollections during the Lenten Season
No. 22
What if you wake up and you never wrote your book, jumped off the high dive, answered the phone, said yes, said no, or waltzed? What if you never asked the hard questions or really said how you feel about that thing? What if you never realize we all walk around with back pain and regrets? What if you never took a chance?
Ever feel like you’re constantly making mistakes and wonder…what if?
In 1960 Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,
“Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson, ‘Journals and Miscellaneous Notebooks’ p.255, 1960.
Every day these “What if” questions herd my mind into a corral like an overzealous border collie with a flock of sheep, then day flies by and I’ve botched it all again. Or have I? Maybe I did something right. As moms we have to forgive ourselves, trip, fall, grab onto something, stand up on our arthritic ankles and keep going one day at a time.
Here are my “WHAT IF’S”…
- What if I went all day without saying one negative thing to anyone?
- What if I didn’t complain to my kids about being on their phones?
- What if I trusted more and criticized less. A lot less?
- What if I invested more in what piques my kids’ interest or makes them laugh so crazy hard on their phones?
- What if I walked by a half-made bed and thought of it as a glass-half-full?
- What if I didn’t complain once about my own appearance all day?
- What if I focused on one task at a time and did it well?
- What if I never asked about homework, grades, or tests?
- What if I sifted through my 42,644 digital photos and only kept my favorite 200?
- What if I donated everything we haven’t used in one year?
- What if I knew a magic word to rid my kids of their worries?
- What if I planned ahead for dinner, or had just bought the darn Instapot?
- What if I helped my kids learn to study and discussed The Renessaince rather than use Quizlet?
- What if I never shamed and reminded them how special they are?
- What if I told them I know being a teenager can be awful these days, but it will get better?
- What if I was as proud of myself as I am of them?
- What if I had to drive for the first time again?
- What if I listened? Really listened? Looked them in the eye and listened?
- What if I counted my blessings instead of yelling at them?
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