Tripping Over Typeset

Some seasons are long!

It’s winter right now and I have to say it’s my least favorite. Early spring ranks right above it because mud is my nemesis and wiping my dog’s feet every time she comes in from being outside is exasperating.

I’m working on this attitude adjustment and some days are better than others.

I was sharing with some kids yesterday about this kind of thing and I found myself, in the midst of it all, preaching to myself.

I started out by saying,

• For how many of you is winter your favorite season?

— Now I have to slow down here and say that mentally I was processing the following thoughts quite quickly…

I do not like winter but some of these kids may LOVE winter and my tone, my attitude and my prejudice against winter may taint what they say and what they feel and I don’t want to discourage their enthusiasm for it if they love it!

So I began with a more joyful tone to my voice and filling in my question with other listed items…

• Who loves winter… you love the frosty nights and being able to see your breath… you love building snow forts, decorating snowmen, drinking hot cocoa, ice skating and Christmas?

Hands shot up in the air and smiles appeared on their faces.

• How many of you love spring?  You love the days getting warmer, flowers popping up out of the ground, new birdies being born, Easter and riding your bike outside?

Other hands shot up and some of the same stayed up.

• How many of you love summer?  Swimming at the lake, going on vacation, catching fireflies, playing at the park, Fourth of July and no school?

More hands! And excitement was building…

• And let’s not forget Autumn with the beautiful colors, pumpkins, warm days, going back to school with new sharpened pencils, new backpacks, new teachers and a chance for making new friends. Who loves autumn?

By this point they were all excited, waving their hands and adding their own suggestions as to why this was all so great!

I caught myself in my own thoughts…. “It’s all in my own thinking and presentation of these ideas!”

I began with my own complaining thoughts and I could have let the kids know how much I really don’t like winter… it’s cold.  It’s yucky, windy and I hate having to bundle up all the time to go outside… the sun rarely shines through the clouds here and I’m done with it!

But then where does that put me and how does that help my situation, my attitude — or their attitude?

I found myself speaking out loud to myself with the kids sitting there listening in on my audible thought processing….

• See, there’s something good to be seen and found in each season. We just have to set our minds on that.  Look for the good, look for the fun and we can find it any season… and then all the seasons can be our favorites!

The rest of the morning time went extremely well.

Dave asked me in the afternoon, “How were the kids today?”

“Excellent!  They were exceptional and in such good moods!  They were all helpful, cooperative and all around good!”

And it makes me wonder… if we set the tone for positive thinking and looking for the good instead of complaining about the weather that we have no power to change… can it really change our whole outlook?  And I’d say… “Yep… I think it can!”

I’m not perfect at this positive thinking stuff. I’m naturally a pessimist but just because it’s my predisposition doesn’t mean I have to keep it my disposition.

Changing our mindsets when the tracks of habits and ruts in our thinking keep dropping into the same trench attitudes can be difficult to dig out of but not impossible!

Every season has its good stuff. And every season has its not so pleasant features and moments. But where we choose to focus our attention is completely up to us.

And even though winter is not my favorite I’m going to try something new. I’m going to try to look for the Jack-frosted crystal designs over the hard scraping sound of the ice on my windshield. Maybe I’ll find a better beginning for a brand new day! (And with every scrap across the windshield I can whisper… summer is coming… summer is coming… summer is coming!)

Have a great day, friends!

~ Rachel

**********************************************

Linking up with: #InspireMeMonday