The Waldo principle: finding gratitude in everything

By A. Bogus, www.funkysmell.com

I remember as a kid getting  Highlights Magazine. I always liked those pictures where you have to find the hidden objects, but sometimes they were hard to spot! Now they have Where’s Waldo to intrigue and torture our new generation.

Gratitude is like that. Sometimes you have to look really hard to find the good in a situation. But it’s there if you take the time to look at it in a different way.

This morning, my daughter and I had an argument. I probably shouldn’t have picked a Monday morning to bring it up, but I mentioned that she needed to study after seeing a D on a quiz.  She’s a straight-A student and never has needed to study, so this was a startling request to her.

She slammed down her hairbrush, started screaming and told me I could not tell her what to do.  She began crying. She even threatened to run away from home. It was quite a dramatic performance!

Afterwards, I was able to laugh on the phone with my husband. I think hormones and “Monday-itis” were partly to blame. And then a funny thing happened – I started to feel grateful for the fight!

How lucky I am to be around to have these mother-daughter arguments – those pubescent outbursts parents have warned me about! My daughter is growing up and trying to become her own person. It’s part of her journey, and I’m blessed to help her navigate it. I may not always enjoy it, but I’m here, and I’m learning like all the other parents out there.

I’m also grateful for my friend Jami, a great parent who was able to share some advice with me today. As they say, “It takes a village …”

I think it’s a good practice to try to find the nugget of good in every situation even if it’s not pleasant.  And, for me, it’s a crucial practice to keep the joy in my life regardless of what a doctor or scan might say.

A little dose of humor helps, too. By the way, Where is Waldo?