On Monday night, Carson started throwing up around 7ish. It lasted ALL night. I was up ALL night. We kind of tried to have a down day on Tuesday, but Logan had cried ALL day. I had not slept one bit.
Well, Robbie had just got home from work, I was busy in the kitchen cooking dinner for a good friend who had surgery that day, and Carson (now feeling a million times better) and Nate were busy kicking a ball around our empty dining room. Logan was still crying. Of course, it was chaos. All of the sudden there was a huge crash...you know the kind...breaking glass into a million little bits.
Robbie shouted and then went running to see what had happened. Sure enough, the kicked ball had knocked off a center piece off the table in our front entry. My first instinct was to get mad. I was too tired to expend that kind of energy. Then I heard little Nate say to his bawling brother, "Cars...it was an accident. It is OK. It was an accident." Carson ran off crying, feeling so bad that he'd broken the glass. However, my eyes were opened by this sweet insight from a concerned brother.
I went and scooped my sweet little heartbroken 5 year old boy in my arms. I asked him if he meant to. He said no through sobs. I then said it was an accident. Then the Spirit helped me recall something from my childhood...similar to this...and how my mom reacted. I told him about a beautiful crystal dish that was on the piano at our house. I was standing in the doorway. Brandon threw a wiffle ball at me (I am sure it wasn't unprovoked). I was in the door way right in line with this dish. I ducked. The ball smashed that dish into a million little pieces. My mom came running. She wondered what had happened. Then she asked me, "Why did you duck?" I said because the ball was going to hit me. She said, "I am sad the dish is broken, but I am glad you are not hurt."
No one got in trouble. No one got yelled at. I learned one lesson at that time...that I was more valuable to her than that vase. So, as I recalled this to Carson, I wanted him to know that he was more valuable than that centerpiece. I hugged him and dried his tears. It was a tender moment.
Sometimes I am quick to react. I need to be slower to react so that I can act appropriately. I am so thankful for the wisdom of a sweet 3 year old to help me see that it was an accident. I am also grateful for the wisdom of a dear mother who taught me that people are more important than things. Here it is almost a week later...I've hardly thought about that glass, but I have thought about Nate and my mom countless times and the hurt feelings of a sweet little 5 year old that were spared because of their wisdom.
2 comments:
Courtney, thank you for posting this. It is a very sweet and smart way to think about accidents, and incidentally just what I needed today. I miss you and admire you lots. Love you, Tasha.
people are more important than things. thanks for the reminder court. You are such an incredible mother.
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