Remembering Moments of Joy

As I sat down to write this, I was in a foul mood. It had been a long day - including some pool time, which is great, but the sun-drain had hit... By the time I was ready to sit and write, I had just realized my boy didn't have the required kerchief for his Cub Scout Uniform... that of course we needed for the morning.... EARLY morning.

Why I worry, I don't know. The situation worked out, thanks to a ridiculous commute, a telephone pole and a willing dad.

It was as I messaged a friend that I remembered the joy of the day. We started the morning with the kitten eating her first solid food meal (no bottle!). From there, I packed for the day - lunch and towels - and we headed first to school to pick up report cards, then to the pool a the local Y.

There are new rules there this year. Good rules. Rules that promote safety and parent/child interaction. (for example, the parent of a child who cannot swim, must stay with the child who cannot swim - or put the kid in a life jacket).

So, my kids took their swim tests. My daughter passed, no problems. My son, not so much. He was told he could practice and take it again. So, he and I went to the shallow end of the pool, and together, we went through what he was doing and how he could improve his strokes, and thus his endurance.

Within the hour, he wanted to try again. I thought he could pass it, so he asked permission to try again. He had to wait patiently for about ten minutes for another life guard to be available to test him. We walked to the deep end, he jumped in and began to swim.

About 3/4 of the way across the 25 yards was the moment of truth. I could see the look in his eyes. He knew he had to finish to be able to go on the slide (his FAVORITE thing), but there was some doubt beginning to creep into his face.

I had been walking along the pool edge with him. At that point, I walked to the end, looked him in the eye, and said, "you are ALMOST here... keep swimming, you can do this!" The doubt left him and his smile widened. It was all he could do to contain his joy as he exited the pool.

Mid way through typing this out, I realized that the same thing happens in my own life. I get a chance to try again. At that moment of doubt, when I'm not quite sure if I'll be able to accomplish the task at hand, someone shows up and cheers me on. God sends someone or something to stand at the end to encourage me and give me a 'high five' when it's over.

He asked me if I was proud of him for passing his test. I told him "yes, I am. But I am more proud about your perseverance!"

God, grant me the perseverance of my son.... And thank You for those along my path who remind me of these wonderful, wonderful moments when my mind is too focused on the new problem that has surfaced before me.