I’ve been listening to country music lately on my way to and fro – and have heard a Trace Adkins song that moves me each time I hear it:

You’re gonna miss this
You’re gonna want this back
You’re gonna wish these days
Hadn’t gone by so fast
These are some good times
Take a good look around
You may not know it now…
But you’re gonna miss this…

The last verse describes a house full of clamor – the repairman is working, the dog is barking, the phone is ringing, the kids are crying & screaming, (sound familiar??!!) and all the young mother can do is apologize for the ruckus…

But – this is LIFE!

Joy is mingled with difficulty and maybe sorrow …. delight is at hand if we will take the time to see it…

One of the things I enjoy most about doing music with young children and families in our particular way is the opportunity for DELIGHT every day.   Seeing parents delight in their children; seeing the little ones’ big smiles when we do something surprising or silly; seeing babies start to wiggle and dance and actually shake that maraca — those gentle, everyday opportunities to experience delight in this precious life.

We all experience challenges and no one is immune to sorrow – our last few years walking the road with Parkinson’s disease is our current challenge. But there is JOY intermingled – light interspersed in our everyday lives. And it shines so brightly against the dark.

Let’s not miss it while it’s here…

Let’s capture some DELIGHT today with our children. It’s essential for their emotional development to know they are a delight. And it helps us make a way thru the ruckus, seeing that it’s all worthwhile.          KG

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April 20, 2011

Art Linkletter was right — Kids DO say the darndest things!  And this last month I had lasting smiles from two 4 year old boys:

After hearing my compliment  on his beautiful new shamrock nametag (in honor of St. Partirick’s Day, of course!) one little preschool guy said,  ”NO,  it’s broccoli!”….!

And……

During a recent Open House,  a mother discovered that I had also been her son’s music teacher at a previous school.  When she told him about it, he paused,  reflecting on this new information, and said, “Were you still old then?” Unfortunately his mother was chagrined – but I am still smiling about that one — “Yes, I was – am – er…..” (Yep — proof — see reference to Art Linkletter!!)