Have you ever sat down to make a list of the things you enjoy the most? It’s an uplifting exercise really. It brings to mind the story about a governess who sang a song to her pupils about their favorite things. Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens ring a bell? It’s almost like years ago we did a better job of teaching kids coping skills that we do today. But I digress.
For my favorite things, I would have to go with things like a quiet house in the morning with a cup of coffee. A good book in a comfortable reading nook. Cause I’m super exciting like that.
Noah’s favorite things are all more exciting than mine. Things like hitting a huge bump in a golf cart, rolling down a steep hill in his chair, being carried around by his brothers. The last one always involves bouncing and funny noises. Lot’s more exciting .
But life can be exciting in ways that are not so positive. It can get bumpy, and those bumps can be downright terrifying. Those bumps can look like health scares, and bills you are worried you can’t cover this month. Any number of things outside of your control. Even, say, a turbulent plane ride.
While I think that singing a fun and positive song could definitely lift you up some and is a great exercise, it won’t necessarily keep you from plummeting 10,000 feet.
So recently we found ourselves in this situation. Me, my three boys, and an announcement from the captain that sounded like this, “Uhhh, at this time we will be turning the seatbelt sign back on. We will, uh, be experiencing some turbulence up ahead. Please, uh, resume your seats, and I’ll ask the flight attendants to resume their seats as well.”
Almost as soon as the PA system made that little “tch” noise, the plane started to shake. “Buffeted by the wind” took on a much more terrifying meaning. I started to grip my seat, but I turned to smile at my younger boys. I didn’t want them to feel my fear. But there were two things that helped me. First, I looked at the flight attendant to see how she was handling it. She was perfectly serene. Was she faking it? I don’t think so. She had the slightly bored demeanor of someone who had been on this roller coaster way too many times to find it exciting. Then the other thing happened.
After a particularly large shake, Noah busted out laughing. And he laughed and laughed. I looked around the plane, and other people were smiling at how much fun he was having. It’s hard to have existential dread when Noah is laughing. When we got closer to the destination, and the turbulence started to recede. Noah had the gall to be disappointed! And that’s how we found yet another of Noah’s favorite things.
I’ll leave you with this little tidbit. If you’re going through some of life’s turbulence, look to someone who has been through it and is no longer scared by it. Then go through it with someone like Noah who can find the joy in even the scariest of places.
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