Lessons from Little Kids

I found myself in church on Sunday. That's not so much the point of this post - but let's keep that factoid to ourselves because if my mother discovers I was there, it will only instill false-hope that will breed endless conversations about when I may return again, what I thought about the homily, how the church isn't so bad....etc. While she's mellowed in her Catholicism over the years, she still hangs on to some idea that I'll come to my senses, or will at least hit my head hard enough on something to render me senseless - either of which will send me running, without passing go, back to weekly mass. Don't get me wrong -- I believe in God - just not the Roman Catholic version of it all - and simultaneously, don't find it necessary to profess my faith on a weekly basis in a building full of hypocrites. (Ouch. I know. I'm really not that bitter - just have some major beefs with the faith in which I was raised)

Moving on....so, I'm in church and sitting in front of me is a set of grandparents with their beautiful little granddaughter. By my estimations, she was 5 or 6 - and had the most beautiful eyes you've ever seen. Not buying into the antics of those her age around her, she was remarkably well-behaved - sitting patiently through a long-winded homily while no doubt thinking lovely chocolate-infused thoughts.

About 3/4 of the way through mass, she slipped and bumped her tailbone on the edge of the pew. If you've done this --- you know how badly that can smart. It shook the pew and I waited for those little eyes to fill up with well-deserved tears.....

Instead, she smiled.

And, it struck me at that moment -- from very early on in life, some of us learn how to instinctively smile through whatever pain we may be experiencing. Which led me to wonder: how do we learn to do that? Why do we do that? Why are some of us innately better at doing it than others?

And, more impressively - it was a grin and bear it smile, it was a "I'm going to be just fine. i got this. I'm a big girl. this is no big deal" kind of smile. So, my newest quest is to take a page from her play book and learn to do that more often.....to greet life's disappointments with grace and a smile.....to have faith that I am strong enough to weather whatever little pains may come my way.

God Bless that little girl.....