I came across this note on Lily’s dresser the other day, and it made me smile. Lexie has become a really good artist and Lily, who is four years younger, often compares her artwork unfavorably with Lexie’s. We all remind Lily that she’s much younger than Lexie and that Lexie is so good at drawing because she practices a lot. If she practices, she’ll get better, too.
The note reminded me once again that our children have so much to teach us. Every day, Lexie reminds me not to be afraid to take risks and to be less concerned about what others think. She calmly turns her back on the “popular” choices again and again to follow her own path. She doesn’t allow herself to be pulled into anyone else’s drama, which let’s face it, is a huge energy drain. When Lexie was in second grade, her teacher shared a story about how one of the boys in the class announced that he and Lexie were the smartest. To which 7-year-old Lexie replied, “Don’t drag me into this.” Oh, the stuff I’ve let myself get dragged into! The mental energy I’ve expended on problems (real or imagined, and aren’t most of them imagined?) that pulled me away from things that would’ve filled my life with meaning and purpose.
