Every morning the first thing I do after I get my coffee and come up into the office is write down three things I am grateful for in my journal.
And tonight I am grateful for our shitty financial situation.
Because today Number 3 played in a little music festival at a very small amusement park about 20 minutes from our house.
And we were able to take all the kids to the park for the afternoon.
The three youngest had never been to anything like it before.
If we had plenty of extra money, we would probably go to this place fairly often, and they would take it for granted.
But since we don’t, today was a pretty big deal for the kids.
And they just really appreciated it.
My phone died about 10 minutes after we got there.
I was a little bit annoyed at the time.
Because it only gave me enough time to take this picture,
and that was it.
But now, I am grateful for that also.
Because I spent the rest of the day being present. Just watching my kids.
And having fun with them.
They had, as Number 6 put it,
The best day evuh. Like in my whoooole life.
I went on a tiny roller coaster with Number 5.
I had my arm around her and she looked up at me.
“You’re my friend,” she said, smiling.
And then she added, “Actually, you’re better than a friend.
You’re my MOM.”
I didn’t take a picture of that moment with my phone.
But it’s okay.
I don’t need to. That one will be stored in my memory forever.
This place is on a lake. It’s actually quite pretty.
And tonight, around 8:00, as the sun was starting to set, I watched Number 4 climb onto the parachute ride by herself.
Number 4 loves a good amusement park ride.
The more dangerous, the higher, the faster, the better for her.
She was smiling and kicking her feet with anticipation of the fun she was about to have.
And as the ride started to move, her smile grew bigger and bigger.
And as she really started flying around in circles, I stood there just watching her.
Did you ever watch your child having so much fun that it just brought you to tears?
For three amazing minutes, while my husband had the younger ones and Number 2 and Number 3 were watching some guys play basketball, I got to just sit and watch Number 4.
She was so happy. And I just cried watching her have fun.
In ten or twenty years, I don’t know if she will remember that ride tonight.
But I will never forget it.
And I will never forget this day.
Tomorrow, when I open up my journal, I will write these two things:
I am grateful for my phone battery dying.
and
I am really grateful for falling on hard times.
love the idea of a gratitude journal! So glad your family had this adventure. x
Reading this made ME cry! I just love seeing the world through my children’s eyes. And, boy! That photo you got has some adorable children in it! I’m glad it was a fun day for the kids (and you).
It is a beautiful you that sees beauty in hard times.A beautiful you that makes a mosaic out of whatever life brings you.I know not why i experienced a deja vu.Maybe when i imagined you sitting under the sun watching your daughter,it matched a certain ideal of beauty in my head. Some good feelings that rise unexpected are liberating.I Just decided against another cup of tea. Today I can do without.
So glad you had a wonderful day with your loving family!!! I hope many more will come. It looks like a great amusement park. Have a wonderful summer!!! And enjoy August with your parents. You are very lucky to have them close by and to spend a lot of time with your family!! Now, that’s fortunate!!!
You are on to something here, Susie! I think that by giving our kids so much in the way of material things, we actually rob them of wonder, awe and gratitude. I have family members who overwhelm their kids with Christmas gifts. It gets to the point that the kids hate opening yet another package. They enjoy and appreciate nothing. I have watched these kids grow up and they are focused on superficial things, like designer handbags and the latest iphone. They are unhappy, poor little rich kids.
You may not be familiar with Amy Dacyczyn of The Tightwad Gazette. (She’s from before your time but her point of view is timeless.) She (like you and me) also has a large family. She talks about putting a “frame” around experiences. In other words, savoring one pleasure at a time.
This is a beautiful reminder for all of us about hedonistic adaptation (how new things/privileges fade into the background over time and stop bringing us pleasure). While your financial situation forced you into a situation where your kids don’t take a trip to the amusement park for granted, the reality is that we can all choose this situation with the same results. We can choose to spend our money on those things that we truly value, and our kids will be better for it. They’ll not only benefit from truly appreciating what they have, but also from the freedom and peace we gain through our resulting financial stability.
So, while your perspective is refreshing, I hope others don’t just read it, mentally respond with “Awww, look at the poor woman making the best of her bad situation. I wish more people had her can-do attitude” and then move on with buying lots of shit they don’t need at the heavy cost of their limited time. Your message applies to all of us, regardless of income.
I think having some technology free time both for ourselves and with our children is so important. I was thinking about making at least a day of our vacation this year – tech free. We have cameras so we can still take pictures but just enjoying time with the kids is so important too. Thanks for that reminder.
So happy to see a beautiful family !
Beautiful. Thank you for the reminder.
Amazing post. Although I agree totally on being grateful for what you have, you should never feel grateful for hard financial times. Why? It can lead to less push to get your finances straight. There is always room for improvement in finances. It’s fine to be grateful for what you have, but don’t be grateful for a lack or you may begin to associate lack with happiness. With so many kids, your household really needs strong finances. I wish you the best and thank you for the post. 🙂
My uncle used to watch me ride the face carousel horses at Rye Playland. No idea why or what he was thinking but, I cherished looking over and seeing him there and it made me feel like my secret for speed and adventure was being shared or appreciated.
I watch my children on rides and at entertainment venues. I love witnessing their joy.