Wednesday, March 3, 2010

I FELL DOWN AND BROKE MY CROWN


Who was the first one that thought up the idea that we as mothers have to always be a good example? For the most part, I agree with this idea and believe that I am. But sometimes, every now and then I (ahem)…fail.

Like just last week my to do list included spending a fun evening with my precious two grown daughters…and everyone knows that grown kids are way more fun than young ones.
I had looked forward to this day all month, but a few things happened along the way. I got annoyed with college daughter and well..let’s just make a long story short and say…it was entirely my fault. Really it was. Even though queenly behavior is unacceptable to me, I tolerate it for two reasons.

1. I did it myself I’m just sure of it
2. It’s a phase. It’s a phase. It’s a phase.

But after my first dark beer with no supper, I got a little chatty and kind of slipped and called her a brat. After all, if I can tolerate her pouting because I’m not buying her stuff, then surely she can tolerate me calling her a brat. Funny…she didn’t like it and not so funny..she texted (under the table) her brother to come get her. That’s when I really got mad. I think I might have dropped the fbomb, and then drank too much wine that later made me cry and you aren’t going to believe this…I actually took a tumble. I was so glad to find out I had just stepped off the curb wrong rather than just fell for no reason at all.

I was just so darn mad that I had let my chance to be a good example escape me. Kind, sweet, fun, funny, endearing. Nope…not anything of the dang kind.

The next day I tried the redemption thing and gave my entire cup of change to the man under the bridge which he more than likely used to gas up his beemer…but that’s his life issue, not mine.

And so…I got to thinking. Yeah—ok so I flunked the sweet example part, but some day when she has a couple of sister/daughters she wants to spend time with and all they do is text each other in her very presence about what a koo koo bird drag she is…then I will have taught her all the ins and outs of a different kind of example.

What if you aren’t only a mother? What if you are a sister, a daughter, a wife, or a good good friend? And you’re not that good at it every day all day? What if the real example is this:
Fall down, break your crown, get up, pretend you don’t have a headache, hot glue your crown back together, put it back on your head, laugh about your crooked jewels, and plant tulips in the spring.

Kind of takes the tightness out of that crown doesn’t it?

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