1. Benjamin teaches me Patience… on our morning or evening walks Ben can sit on his little black bike for what feels like ages, waiting for cars to go by, so that he can have the speedbumps all to himself… and then what fun he has flying over them.
2. Benjamin teaches me to Pay Attention…if there’s one thing a toddler needs, it’s their parent’s or caregiver’s undivided attention. If I’m distracted and not paying Ben enough attention, he will make sure I know all about it!
3. Benjamin teaches me how to Go with the Flow. His young life is not ruled by time, schedules, rules and regulations. The first thing on his mind in the morning is not coffee, breakfast, getting ready for work, missing the traffic… but play. Nature is calling – and not in the way we mean it.
4. Benjamin teaches me that Joy Really is in the Journey & Not the Destination. We can start out on a walk to the beach, but if the garden along the way seems more appealing today, he’ll simply play there. The beach forgotten. No biggie.
5. Benjamin teaches me to Stop and Smell the Roses…or daisies or dandelions… to look, really look at the world & its beauty. To delight in the little things. To hear the birds tweeting, the planes overhead, the motor bikes in the distance. He doesn’t miss a thing.
Ben teaches me to Slow it down. Spend time in nature. Run. Play. Jump. Skip. Here & now is all that matters. Don’t miss this moment. Be. Here. Now.
6. Benjamin teaches me How to Get Over Pain. Fast. He demonstrates that when you hurt yourself, or someone hurts you by accident, all you need to do is have a good cry (sometimes), seek comfort & then dust yourself off. Forget about it, never mention it again. It’s over. No need to hold grudges or relate the tale to anyone.
Wow, imagine if we lived like that as adults.
7. Benjamin teaches me to Laugh at Life. Ben laughs, giggles and chortles at life & at himself. All day long. He whoops with joy. His sentences are coloured with hoorays, yippees and wows. Yeah!
