
Well as the great Steven Tyler once said “I’m back, I’m back in the saddle again” After a little hiatus in which life took over I wanted to get back on track because much like a resume, when my kids read these someday I don’t want there to be too many gaps.
I have one of those interesting careers where I talk, write, and create for a living and here in my middle age, I am really starting to understand the value of words and realize if you consistently say nice things, “try” to keep good things in your head, and match those with actions you have nothing to look back upon with regret. I have done a lot of good in my life and admittedly I have made more than my share of mistakes, but isn’t life a learning process?
This is something that I hope to instill in my children as they grow up. It is funny how a simple cliche like “If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all” would play out in a global spectrum if everyone followed the rule. Obviously this could be a thesis of theory, example, history, and experience, but in the interest of cranking this out before my toddler wakes up I’ll just move on…
It is wildly fascinating to me when I shut down the social media and turn off the phones how much I enjoy bathing in the wonder of my one and half year old. I bask in sitting with him and seeing with his eyes. It is exponentially more delightful than any form of media or work duty, even if it’s creative. I posted a few weeks ago that in the span of 7 hours I only heard four words “puppy, ball, mama and more” and it made for one of the happiest days of the year. Four words and nothing else. We walked, we played, we listened, we looked, we imagined. It was simply a fantastic journey that concluded with the wonder people coming home, which of course kicks things back into the crazy, lovable family zone.
Speaking of wonder people, my four year old is now in the avalanche of vocabulary learning, deciphering, spelling and process. It is so funny to us to watch a miniature person spout out full sentences, question things, argue with meaning, and try to figure out the way of the word. Sure, it’s frustrating at times, but she’ll be ok. We help her along and let her discover naturally, but are also quick to correct if words are used inappropriately or in a hurtful manner. It is impossible to thoroughly explain the power of the spoken word, as I am still figuring it out in my middle age, but she is definitely doing the math that words can make you feel very good, and words can make you very bad. It’s so simple and so elementary, but we just hope they both grasp this concept throughout life as it effects not only the social space, but the family space, the work space, the creative space, or any space for that matter. I won’t touch on bullying here today, but we all know the power of the word can have long range effect on people, and in a way I am glad people finally caught on and are being so pro-active in trying to gain awareness around the fact that it is wrong. I keep hearing “It’s just part of growing up” No it’s not. It’s wrong. Will it still go on? Of course, but recognition and awareness are half the battle, now let’s move on to action. Our kids and yours too are heading into unchartered waters, but if you stick to…”If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” ( I am sure there’s a hipper version of that saying out there) It would probably make the world just a little bit better.
Oh yes, the four words that got me thinking about this entire blog post? We were going out to dinner during the holidays and amidst the chaos of family logistics, and me not being in a particularly wonderful mood, my daughter simply took my hand and said “Daddy, You look handsome.” A four year old turned a grumpy forty year old around with four small words…and I am writing this six months later.
Have a great day and thank you for reading.
MKbythebay


