I think one of the reasons kids are so happy is because they have no memories.
Who among your adult friends would be brave enough to keep trying something so difficult as WALKING if they fell 10,000 times trying? Most adults don't stray too far out of their comfort zone...for fear of failure, looking stupid, making some horrendous regrettable choices from which they can't recover.
But young children? Well they wake up each day like it is Christmas morning. They have forgotten the 9,999 times they fell attempting to let go of the coffee table and take those first few tentative steps towards the cheering parent.
I am sure the cheering helps.
We also rarely cheer our grown up friends on when we are sure they will fail. We try to keep our friends safe...we don't encourage them to quit the comfortable job, move to a strange city, or anything that would upset the status quo.
I remember setting up my little munchkin for success in his early endeavors. I would move the coffee table closer to the couch while he was learning to walk and make sure the edges of the table weren't sharp.
Once I learned that concept...of setting him up for success...I was amazed at how infrequently we do that as adults. Sure I wish I would eat more healthful choices, but when I go to the grocery store hungry I will certainly fill my cart with quick fix and empty calorie choices.
This past year has been tough for me. Up until my 45th year I honestly can say I had no regrets (well except for not having more children...).
Then...the past year? Uncharacteristically for me... I have made some bad choices. this past year.
I have not been setting myself up for success, and my memories of the falls, the failures, are in the forefront of my mind.
Today I wondered what it would be like to wake up with those bad memories gone. Sure, I would still have the job that is crushing my soul, the out of shape body, the empty bank account...but the aching regret of the choices I made to get in this place would be gone - leaving me with a clean slate.
And what if God had secretly moved the coffee table a little bit closer to the couch for me in the night? Could I try for the 4000th time to take some wobbly steps towards freedom?
Well let's see :)
