Seeing and Perspective

A lot has happened over the past week, and I'm not quite as quick at processing as I once was. Or maybe I am taking the time now to thoroughly investigate some things that I've glossed over in the past. Probably the latter; as I get older, I realize that there are many small gifts and blessings tucked away in daily living that can be easily missed if one isn't paying attention.

I find joy in these things, but my only regret is that it took me this long to realize that.

Anyway, sight is on my mind, since hubby and I are now firmly in bifocal territory (sob)--he had the temerity to laugh at my pronouncement, and then got his own and that ended the teasing.

Lectoring mass last week allowed me to reconnect with Fr M, and we're hoping to get him over for dinner in August. I told the kids they needed to behave, and Nic insisted on sitting directly in Fr M's line of sight. It's not lost on me that this kid knows how to sit in a movie theater, but I still need to coach (nag) him to sit correctly in church. G somehow gets it, but Nic is a tough nut.

But then I think of how Nic interacted this week on our numerous outings and think that he really looked like anyone else there--at least if you didn't listen too closely to him. G was in his own happy little world, but that's just the way G rolls, and he is good with it.

But when it's just family, or people he's comfortable with, the real Nic emerges. Or at any rate, the one he *really* embraces. I sigh and hope it's a phase (inwardly) while I outwardly harden my face and deal him the consequences. Maddeningly enough, he always enjoys what we are doing, then he catches himself having a good time and has to complain about what we're *not* doing.

Which brings me back to my responsibilities to him as a parent: I feel like there is always so much to *work* on, but sometimes in choosing the daily battles, sometimes days go by where I am reminded of other things that need work and improvement. Then I focus on those, until I am reminded (again) of other things that require my attention.

I guess this is the other reason I have slowed down; it's also easy to miss the teachable moments when speeding through life. And the thing is that EVERYTHING is a teachable moment.

I do my best, but every day, that bar goes up.