I need an easy button.
Running errands yesterday on less than a quarter tank of gas, calculating how much cash I have to spend, how much I’ve spent, how many more gifts I need to buy, how can I make due with what I’ve got, and can I make it to the cheap gas station before the “low fuel” light starts blinking, I secretly wished I could press a button and everything would end up working out perfectly…easily.
Then, last night when my six-year-old decided she couldn’t sleep and woke up her siblings right around the time I was getting ready to crawl into bed myself, I thought how nice it would be to have an easy button right about now. Instead of a bedtime battle, screaming and tears there would be sugarplum fairies prancing and dancing my daughter to sleep.
Just this morning as I was trying to get out the door for a Christmas brunch, Jackson insisted on wearing his new mittens. I couldn’t find them (I only bought them yesterday!), and ended up rummaging through the winter accessories basket in the coat closet. Scarves, hats and mismatched glove sets were strewn all over the floor. Irritated, I started looking for an easy button hiding in the knitted mess.
It didn’t stop there. Pulling Jackson’s mittens on to his little hands proved more difficult than expected. He couldn’t seem to grasp the concept of separating his thumb from the rest of his fingers thus culminating all his frustration into one gigantic outburst as I worked feverishly to find his lost thumbs: “Jackson, give me your thumb. Put your thumb here. Stop fighting me. Do you really want to wear these mittens? Then you need to cooperate with me.” Ugh. Easy button?
Errands before the brunch, errands after the brunch (I seem to be running errands a lot these days), I figured I deserved a little “me” time when we got home. Jackson screamed when I put him down for a nap (press “easy” now), Brooklyn followed me downstairs playing twenty questions (or something of that nature), and I realized that having time for myself was probably not going to happen.
Then, BAM, I hit my own easy button; something internal, I really can’t explain it. Suddenly I was inspired to start our Christmas baking. Donning our aprons and Christmas music blaring, Brooklyn became my sous chef as we measured, mixed, stirred and rolled out the most scrumptious of holiday treats. I can still smell the peppermint from our candy cane cookies – a family favorite.
In that brief span of time - baking with Brooklyn, then taste testing our yummy confections – being a mom became as easy and sweet as our holiday candy fudge bars. The stress I was feeling rolled right off my back, and when Jackson woke up I felt like a brand new mommy.
With one click of the easy button I was armed and ready to search for Jackson’s “Lightning McQueen” car (that he loses multiple times a day), help Brooklyn “type” an e-mail on the computer, clean out my fridge and freezer, tidy up the kitchen and sweep the floors. All before 4:30pm. Easily completed so that I could have a few minutes to write this post for my blog.
I may not have discovered a tangible easy button, but I learned a lesson far more valuable. It is actually one I tried to teach to Sydney this morning before she left for school. It’s all about the attitude. We don’t always have control over our circumstances and the junk that comes at us day in and day out, but we do have control over how we look at life. If we think we’re going to have a bad day, then we probably will (the world out there is merciless and will no doubt gladly contribute to the badness). However, if we change our perspective, even just a little bit, it can be the catalyst for an absolutely amazing afternoon – as I learned so well today.