Most days when I walk through my house, I’m simply amazed by the sheer amount of stuff that is strewn everywhere.
It doesn’t matter if it was pristine yesterday.
As I pass the couch, I pick up a folded gum wrapper. I grab a dirty sock off the bar stool. I gather the Lego pieces that fell over the edge of the table. No matter how much reminding, teaching, or consequences I offer, it seems that this constant picking up will be my fate. Sometimes it feels like I’m bailing water out of the boat while they’re drilling holes in the sides. Oh I’m sure I could implement more teaching and training, and at times I do.
But it’s more important to me to do more living.
I’d rather enjoy some of the moments I have with my kids instead of making every, single, moment a teaching moment. Instead of bailing water or patching holes, sometimes I want us to all just jump in and swim.
You probably know that feeling.
It may or may not be “picking up” at your house that has you feeling like you’re bailing water. (maybe you easily keep up a museum) Maybe for you, it’s a relationship. Maybe you feel like you give and you give and you give, but while you’re bailing water, the other person is drilling holes in the boat. If that’s the case, I have an idea.
Jump in and go for a swim.
I’m not saying you should abandon the boat entirely. Nope, just take a break from frantically bailing the water and enjoy the water instead. It will cool you off and if you’re tired, you can float on your back for a while. And guess what? The person with the drill might just realize that without you constantly bailing water, it’d be a good idea to ease up on all that drilling.
And you never know, they might decide to jump in and go for a swim.
It could change everything.
But first, you have to decide to let go. To stop frantically trying to control. To stop bailing the water and actually jump in and swim. You might be surprised what you find.
It’s worth a try.
to more love,
Crystal
