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I had a bad day today … not really bad, just worse than normal. It was stressful, I listened to people argue and be combative. More issues were brought up than resolved and people didn’t take responsibility for being part of the problem. These things happen and I get it … but it put me in a bad mood. I work long hours and I’ve earned the right to be in a bad mood.
I got home and I was stomping around the house grumbling, looking for something to eat because despite a full pantry and refrigerator, there wasn’t anything in there. I still hadn’t written my next post, and despite having about 10 partially completed articles sitting in the draft box, I wasn’t in the mood to be helpful, clever, or whatever. Screw it ….
… and then I found my 7 year old daughter Kate’s pile of homework that she had completed earlier today. One of her assignments was to write some sentences about friends. This is what she wrote:
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I will be nice to all who have a hard life.
I would not brag to my friends because it would hurt their feelings.
I will give and not receive when in need.
I will help my friends.
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I’m not in a bad mood anymore … thanks, Kate.
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I rediscovered some perspective today and for that I am grateful. Pretty sure I’ll be able to channel this into some fabulous design for some lucky client.
Cheers and thanks for reading.
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thats the damndest thing i’ve seen all day.. cheered me up 6 days latter, and my friends as well.. it’s something worth remembering to remember.. thanks for sharing
(shared on facebook with the comment: if theres one thing you should read all day and remember all your life.. look to sage kate..)(cultural prodigy)
she is my cultural prodigy but I am happy to share her … as long as she says it’s okay 🙂
I must have got something in my eye while I was reading this because my eyes started to water.
What she said. Beautiful.
The greatest thing about our children is that they remind us of how we once were; kind to most one another, just like that…then we grow up and forget most of it.
Through a child’s eyes. What a joy!!
She is smart and beautiful, you must be so proud. And she also has lovely penmanship for a 7 year old
very proud – she’ll be excited to hear that yes, in fact someone did notice the penmanship!
Cheers, and thanks for taking time to comment
Super ‘Life’ post here Bob. Yes, my kids always put the day in perspective for me. Good day or bad day, they always yell ‘Daddy’s home’ at the end of the day. And at that point, it doesn’t matter what anyone else said or did to ruin my workday. Because I know then that i have soccer games to play, art to create and stories to listen to about their day. Kids are what life is about. Thanks to your daughter and you for sharing.
Thanks Erik – it’s pretty awesome when you come in the door and someone is super excited to see you.
I’ll pass along your thanks to Kate 🙂
This warms my heart. As a mother of 3 wonderful adults, I can report that I continue to learn from them. Better yet, now, they are true confidants, occasional mentors, and between all of us, we give and take and learn interchangeably. It is a wonderful thing that you are open to that. You will gain immense wisdom over the years from every age your child becomes (or something like that…)
I don’t doubt it – she is always surprising me.
… now if I can get her to mow the grass then we’d really be onto something
That’s great. My daughter said to me last night, “Really Dad, really? You’re going to design the house to look like that?”
that’s awesome – sassy!
You are a very lucky fellow….she is a wonderful little girl, tell her we love her!!
that’s what always put me in a good mood – when I remember just how lucky and fortunate I am.
Cheers
I posted a note from my twin daughters on my monitor when they were elementary school. Now, many monitors later I still have the notes posted(they are almost 23), it stills brighten my day.
I hope you did have an awesome day because that was pretty awesome. Thanks for sharing
Very wise words – thanks for sharing, Bob 🙂
Thanks Roxanne, I will let Kate know 🙂
Children have the most amazing and uncanny ability to take what we think are the most complicated ideas or problems and reduce them to the absolute basics. The perspective of a child amazes me daily. 🙂
So sorry you had a rough day. But you can leave it to a child to put it into perspective for you. That Kate has some wisdom, no? Hope today is better 🙂
Luckily I don’t stay in bad moods for very long and when you come home to singing and bad jokes and requests for “no-cheating & you can’t use your legs” wrestling matches things can’t stay icky for long.
Today is already much better – thanks
A child’s perspective is always so clean and honest. They don’t have all the adult clutter and put things in their simplest forms, as they should be. Great post Bob.
Thanks Todd, it’s nice to have someone not care why some things kinda suck. Surround yourself with happy people and you tend to be happy.
Have a great day
“I will be nice to all who have a hard life”. I guess nowadays, that’s pretty much every architect!
Seriously, great way to see the big picture. Thanks!
Doug
I’d like to think she is getting this big picture from her parents but I’m not sure that’s always the case. I think I’ll keep her 😉