On Monday, I had to drop off my husband at the airport. Sometimes his job requires he fly to other states so this wasn’t all that unusual. The 4 AM wake-up call was though! We both drug ourselves out of bed groggy and incoherent. I could barely form sentences (in fact, I attempted to write this on Monday and it was a complete no-go!). Hubby was a bit anxious, wondering if he’d forgotten anything, if he’d get through security on time, if his layover would work out in his favor - the things one might be running through mentally before a trip. Well, we finished up everything and went upstairs to grab our sleeping boys.
Revan, age 3, said “Noooo.” and then “Whyyyyyy?” as I put him in his car seat. Xavier said, “I didn’t know it would be this early, I don’t think I got enough time to sleep.” (I agree, kiddo, I agree.) But he got up and put on a shirt and climbed into his seat without another complaint.
As we pulled out of our driveway, my 4-year-old said, “I’m so happy!!”
I was a bit surprised to hear that given the early hour and everyone else’s less than wonderful mood. I looked back at him and he wore a big smile, his hands clasped in his lap in excitement.
“Why?” I asked.
He said, “Because Daddy’s flight is so early, it’s still dark out! We NEVER get to drive in the dark. I’m happy we get to drive in the dark. The lights are shinier, it’s quiet out, it’s not so hot. I like driving in the dark so much."
”Wow, buddy.”
That’s all I could really say. Here we all were being a bit sour and my 4-year-old put on his grateful glasses and found so much beauty and joy in this “inconvenience.” I was blown away and it really made me appreciate his special soul.
How often could you look at a different side of a situation and feel so much better if you let yourself? It was true that it was early and we were tired. But it was also true that it was quiet and cool and bright and beautiful out because of the early hour.
I agreed to put on my sons’ glasses. Borrow his perspective to feel much happier about the situation. I thanked him for that.
And guess what...on the way home after bidding Dad farewell, we got to watch the sunrise together. It was a beautiful sight I got to share with my boys, and one I just may have missed completely if it weren’t for the right kind of glasses.
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