I did it! Did you?

Can you do it?

“I did it, I did it, I did it!” These were my son’s words once he mastered the biggest obstacle slide at his favorite bounce park here in Charlotte..

Just a couple of minutes prior to this he had cried out: “Papa help!”

Painting  with a broke violin

What do you strive for? – picture by Mitchell Kearney

I don’t know about you, but when my son cries out like that, I break speed records. He was stuck on a vertical climb that easily exceeds 10-12 ft. and he is only 3 years old. The climb had little hard foam protrusions that he could use as foot and handholds. He was stuck about 2/3s up the climb. Kieran was crying and I asked him if he wanted me to help him down. To my astonishment he pointed up. He did not want my help to get down, he wanted me to help him up. Kieran was not afraid, but really frustrated.

I told him gently that I would gladly help him down if that is what he wanted but that he would have to make it up there by himself, but I would make sure he was safe.

He turned around,  back to the grind and climbed all the way to the top, little sobs audible here and there. Once up there, he was on top of the world. He had accomplished something that he had never managed before.  The joy in his face, the exhilaration and happiness was overwhelming, and made me tear up This was a huge success. His happiness when he succeeded was just exhilarating. All the frustration and crying was gone. He was the happiest camper in the world. He slid down the slide on the other end and did a little victory dance. His next word was: “Again!” And he did it again.

The problem of the ‘so called realist’

This little story of my son gives me goose bumps, because it portrays something that we often have lost as adults. We are ‘realists’ now. We are jaded by our experiences. We don’t get up and do it again because we often think that it is impossible once we failed once or twice.

The first time my son had tried this particular slide he never made it past the first hurdle, we don’t even need to talk about the bigger ones following. But instead of giving up, he tried, again, and again, and again.

Sometimes we are told to stop being childish. Well, in this case I challenge you! Be childish, do it like kids would. Whatever your goals are, don’t take no for an answer.

Don’t take NO for answer!

If you truly desire something, want to accomplish something, then go out and do it again. Fail, get back up, fail again, get back up again until you have done it. Be a child. Children just get back up and do it again. We wonder sometimes how children learn so quickly. Part of it is their biological development but part of it is that they are not hindered by social conventions, fears, past experiences, and other people. They simply don’t care.

It is time for you to get back up on your feet. It is time to defy naysayers, and yes, I talk about your little inner critic as well. Tell it that you love it but are not willing to give up on life quite yet.

 

Have an awesome day,

 

Michael

 

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