Walk This Way

I’ll never forget the time a very young student came into my art class walking awkwardly with her feet turned way out to the sides. “Regan,” I said, “why are you walking like that?” She answered, “I was trying to walk like you.”  “Oh…” I responded considering my own out-turned feet. “Well then, you’re doing a really good job.”

Kids notice things. They notice the way grownups walk and talk, and how they treat people. 

When my kids were little they had plenty of opportunities to notice my reactions to other drivers. You know how irritating it is when the light turns green and you still can’t go because some other driver has tried to squeak through at the last minute, and now they’re stuck out in the middle, blocking the intersection? Well, at times like that I’ve been guilty of saying, “What’s this idiot doing?” 

I remember one day when I found myself stuck out in the middle of the road, blocking the intersection, having tried to squeak through at the last minute. One of my tiny children piped up cheerfully from the backseat, “Hey Mom! Now you’re somebody else’s idiot!” 

I really was somebody else’s idiot that day, and I probably am more often than I realize, not just when I’m driving… Good to remember. 

I used to tuck my daughters into bed every night, read them a book, pray with them about all sorts of things—praising God and asking for His forgiveness, His wisdom and His help, and then often I’d sing them a lullaby. It was a long routine! As they got older, our nightly routine faded away. 

The other day I realized that, although I pray for my children as much as ever, and maybe more, I don’t pray with them nearly as often as I used to. It felt like an important realization. That’s one habit I really hope to pass on to them. I’d be happy to find them all grown up one day, not calling other drivers rude names and not walking with their feet turned way out to the side, but I do hope to find them praying. Because a person who prays is a person who knows they are not alone. What a wonderful thing! How full of hope!

Last week I told my nearly grown up daughters, “Hey, I’m going to start praying regularly with you both again. Don’t worry, I won’t do the whole bedtime routine, and in fact it probably won’t be at bedtime. But when you least expect it, expect it!” My oldest daughter said something like, “But what if I’m in the middle of class? Because that’s when I would least expect it.” She’s taking her college classes from home right now… I rolled my eyes and said, “Okay, never mind. When you least expect it, don’t expect it. But do expect it often.”

I hope you’re all having a lovely week. I hope you all know you’re not alone. And I hope that if you find someone (or yourself) blocking an intersection, that you remember to be gracious, because from time to time we’re all somebody else’s idiot. 

~Amy