I'm posting a video today, which I never do, and the quality on this sucker is terrible (and upside down?) but I had a thought watching my girls the other day, struggling to stand, attempting to walk, falling, falling, falling.
Every day they attempt to walk and fail. They pull themselves up, let go, fall down.
Up, let go, fall down. Up, let go, fall down. Up...
A thousand times a day they do this and never once have I seen them get frustrated. They don't get angry when they come
so close (
this close) to getting up on their feet without assistance. They're never discouraged when they collapse under their own weight. They just get back up on their tiny little feet and keep on keeping on, beaming with pride for having
tried.
Up, let go, fall down BAM. Up, let go, BAM. BAM. BAM. A THOUSAND BAMS!
BAM and their eyes go shrug.
They accept their fate with grace and the knowledge that if they keep going, keep moving, keep trying, something extraordinary will happen. And they're totally right.
GGC
24 comments:
There's even a kids book about this very thing!
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780152055738
Children have so much to teach us. I love this observation.
Watching the attempts and the high success/failure rate shows the development of the human race. Just keep trying until it works . Don't give up, don't give in - just keep trying until you accomplish what you seek.
I have a ten-month old and he's in the same boat. Failure isn't really a problem for him, it just takes more practice. I wonder, at what point does the "failure" start to become an issue for a person?
-Grant
http://mykidisspecial.blogspot.com/
This post has perfect timing - I just wrote about dealing with constant failing and how I'm not dealing with it very well. Hoping I'll be motivated by their perseverence!
I'm cheating and commenting here on the prior post. Loved the portrait of the stinker. : ) The essence of adorableness.
Yes. If they keep on, some amazing WILL happen. We could all stand to learn from their attitudes. Don't ever give up!!!
I see these attempts not as failures but as bits of progress. Their muscles are strong enough to support them for short amounts of time, but not for extended periods. This up/down cycle is not success/failure but just the natural evolution and strengthening of their muscles so that they will someday soon be able to support their own weight and will be running after one another. Essentially, they are doing baby weight-training. That's why they aren't frustrated... they know they're making a hundred little bits of progress, not experiencing a hundred little failures, every day. :)
What a beautiful metaphor -- and what beautiful photographs -- I love it!
Success comes from persistance. Bo will get it.
I'm a lurker but you said something I really needed to hear. I had really fucking awful day today. I made a mistake, a pretty big mistake that could have caused some problems if my patient had needed more care, and I've been beating myself up for it all afternoon and evening. I just need to let it go, stand back up and try again. In the big picture, nobody died, nobody was in danger of dying and I fell down JUST like every other single person in world. Including the doctor who chewed me out. So I'm going to copy your babies (and my own) and keep standing back up. Thanks for sharing, somebody heard you today and it made a difference.
I think about this, this amazing will to try and eventually succeed with my 4 year old. When we moved into our new home 8 weeks ago we checked out the park behind our back fence. It has some "big kid" climbing things that my girl hadn't done before. Every time we go, she tries a new piece, gets one, two rungs higher. And she moves beyond her fear, constantly. And I think, I haven't done that in a while and she does it daily. It's so admirable. I'm in true awe.
This spot of happiness is just what I needed today. Thanks.
So adorable and so true. I look forward to watching my kids overcome their obstacles!
-Tara
http://madmaxandfamily.blogspot.com
http://blog.chron.com/madabouttown/
Thank you for posting this insight!! It is so much easier to see this simple truth when it isn't ourselves we are working with.
We can learn so much from children. beautiful video :)
Barnicles
Love, love, love this post. Such a lesson for us all...
Thank you. This post taught me a lesson. We just like thinking we are weak and give up. From now on I will always try again.And again.
I think this post is exactly what many of us needed to read. What a great reminder to persevere and have fun doing it. :)
Wonderful observation, its amazing what kids are able to teach us, and how easily it is for adults to forget these things. Very inspiring post!
So funny you post this -- I just read this article this morning about raising successful children: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/opinion/sunday/raising-successful-children.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
"Think back to when your toddler learned to walk. She would take a weaving step or two, collapse and immediately look to you for your reaction. You were in thrall to those early attempts and would do everything possible to encourage her to get up again. You certainly didn’t chastise her for failing or utter dire predictions about flipping burgers for the rest of her life if she fell again. You were present, alert and available to guide if necessary. But you didn’t pick her up every time.
You knew she had to get it wrong many times before she could get it right."
More videos please!!! Love those babies!
You got me crying, not a bad cry, but one of one ago sweet memories of days gone by. Back when our oldest (now 30) was born at 27 weeks gestation and 2 lbs 13 oz we would have a cake and family celebration, including small gifts on the 3rd (she was born on Dec 3) of each month. We did this until she was 18 months old. This was started when we did not know how long she would be on this earth and wanted to squeeze in as much of life's good things as we could. I had not thought back to those days and that tradition in years, as we never did it with the other 2 children. Guess we learned something the first time!
I actually giggled out loud at those photos of Revi in the striped hat...and I just can't stop looking at them! I love it!
waiting for kittenheart
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