Last night at dinner we had the most wonderful conversation. I asked everyone, "When you wake up in the morning, what is it you hope most to accomplish each day?" I had no expectation for what type of answer I'd hear. I was genuinely curious. I was thinking that maybe the kids thought a good day is one in which they had fun all day, or got what they wanted, or were able to watch at least one tv show a day or had time to play outside each day. I was expected childish, self-centered answers, truth be told. But the honesty and truth behind their answers astounded even me.
Bennett was first to say, "It's a good day if I've made people smile; made them happy. That's all I want to do, make people smile."
Gavin responded next with, "I hope to learn something new each day."
Chloe's was, "My goal is to make good choices every day."
Then came my moment of truth. I don't know that I consciously go about thinking what I hope to get out of each day. Am I others centered or self centered? When I really thought long and hard, this is what I said, "I desire to make sure the people I come in contact with each day know that they are loved and special to me." It's easy to say that about your friends and family, but am I making the girl at the check out stand at the grocery store feel special, loved, appreciated? Am I in too much of a hurry to acknowledge another's day and just expect them to wait on me? Can I and do I show love to strangers? That is my heart...but how often do my actions follow suit?
Chuck told us all, "At the end of the day, I'm happy knowing that I did all I could to serve my family, sacrifice for them in ways that mattered to them and know that they are happy and loved because of those actions." I'm sure he said it much more eloquently, that's just my paraphrase because we all know what a horrible short term memory problem I have and that unless I write something down immediately, I'll never remember anything word for word.
I just love dinner time.
