My daughter caught me gazing lovingly at my dry-erase board, which was covered with multi-colored to-do lists.
“I can erase the stuff that’s crossed out, if you want,” she offered in a way children often do when they’re trying to be involved in that stuff daddy does in his office.
“No, thanks, hon,” I said, recognizing a teachable moment immediately. “Cross-offs are an essential part of success; they show me what I’ve accomplished.” I leaned in to get her full attention, which was already waning. “Accomplishments need to be celebrated; they need to be reflected upon. At least for a little while.”
I stopped there. I wasn’t going to tell her how prideful reflection leads to gratitude, which is the lifeblood of happiness. She’s 9 afterall.
When I’m feeling particularly accomplished, I’ve gone so far as to take a picture of my dry-erase board, crystallizing the moment in time, my past-self, a work-in-progress to remind me how many things I’ve had to do to get where I am, to become who I am.
“Well, can I draw on it then?”
The markers were out of her reach. She looked around for a chair, which was covered in papers. Then she looked back at me.
“How long you gonna be?”
I pointed to the dry-erase board, with a sheepish shrug.
“Really?”
“Well, not all of it.”
I probably could do most of it if I put my head down and grinded through, but there are more important things in life, the kinds of things that don’t make it on the to-do list.
I got pictures of those things, too. 🙂