Florida, Oddly Enough

This week I found out I need to take a few classes to renew my teaching license. I am going to have to get them done pretty quickly. I also have a few professional competency tests coming up, one of which will include high school math, which I'd hoped I'd never have to see again. Studying will be my game for a few months. Ah, well, no pain no gainful employment, I suppose. I have several books that will need to be put on hold, movies and shows, too. I'm used to it, but every weekend, I think of how nice it would be if I could just wake up and do what I want.  Forever. I hope to work 5 more years, making me 67 at retirement. Hoping I can pull that off...

neighbors playing nice music 

I had some interesting realizations about my relationship with my youngest child, determining pretty clearly how I feel about a certain aspect of our relationship. This child has never been one to consider consequences, she relies on odds, and doesn't often factor in emotions in determining what she should and shouldn't do. I heard someone say that when deciding what to do about a problem your child is asking you to solve, consider if the consequences of your helping are acceptable to you, the parent. Somehow, this advice clicked. I've always tended to stew around in my mind, usually giving in because I couldn't decide what to do right away. I'd think of several scenarios, usually revolving around the child. Now, I am looking at the scenarios revolving around my choice to help.What did I see? I saw myself suffering and having problems.  I know, right?  It may make YOU, laugh, but it really woke me up. So now, I can choose to leave it.  Leaving it there at no, this isn't an acceptable consequence for me. Now, she can get creative with the work she needs to do to fix it. Letting my child know that simple little thing. Such a relief. I learned long ago that you can't live someone else's life for them. You can't make them want the things you think they should want. They are on their own adventure and even if looks like a nightmare to you, it is their own to work out. Still I struggled and since crises have been relentless with this one, I would just do the easiest thing. There always seems to be some combination of words that help a person understand, and this week, I heard some.

Ending with a photo of an empty, older Spanish style building with pretty moss growing on the tiles.
May you see beautiful things and hear something useful this week.

~Dorothy Dolores