What I Learned From My 2 Year Old

 "You need to let the little things that would 

ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you" - Andy Warhol

     My son LOVES the outdoors.  One of his favorite activities is going for a walk.  He finds joy in ALL the little things associated with going for a walk.  It starts with celebrating the victory of putting on his shoes all by himself. And the positive energy flows from that very moment. The pure joy is evident in his bright eyes as he tells you, “Flower. Yellow,” as we pass a lone dandelion. You hear it in his persistent voice when he insists on jumping off the sidewalk as if he just leaped from a 20 foot building. You can feel the excitement when he throws a rock like the opening pitch in a Phillies sold out baseball game. You can see it in his big smile when he happily screams, “Hi,” to EVERY passing neighbor within earshot. You can feel it in his gentle tap on your arm when he points out, in amazement, a plane flying overhead. He really, really, really, enjoys it all. He takes it all in and truly lives in the moment.

    I thought of my son’s capability of living in the moment while celebrating my 15th Wedding Anniversary in  Sedona, Arizona. Everyone that we knew who was familiar with Sedona, raved about their beautiful sunrises.  Well, the sunrise did not disappoint during our visit.  It totally lived up to the expectation. The view was breathtaking and having the opportunity to experience it first hand with my husband brought me so much joy. While looking at the sun cast a rays over the red rocks my heart warmed.  I realized this is the feeling my son is able to capture everyday! In his innocent mind he navigates life without dwelling on yesterday or worrying about tomorrow.  He is always fully engaged in the present.  What a blessing! This gift allows him to see the wonder and beauty in the little things.  

     Even with the hustle and bustle of our grown up lives, the innocence of our 2 year old self still lives inside us.  We are blessed with numerous opportunities daily to enjoy the little things.  But are we paying attention?  We have a choice to take it all in and live in the now.  When striving to live your best life, finding pleasure in the little things is paramount.  Our lives will not be a continuous stream of breathtaking moments like the sunrise in Sedona. If we only live from one show stopping moment to the next, we are totally missing out on the every day joys in moments like a simple neighborhood walk with your 2 year old.

When was the last time that you fully lived in the moment and let an ordinarily boring thing thrill you?

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