I love my mom.
Not only did she bring me into this world and breastfeed me, I can count on her to help me out and no matter how annoyed we get with each other, we're still buddies. But, best of all, she has taught me many valuable things. One, and my favorite, is my positive outlook. The other? Paying attention.
She has always said, "You can learn something new every day if you pay attention."
She is 100% right about this. I pay attention, and I learn something every day.
Her saying has become mine, and I spout it off at least once a week, to my own family and to anyone around me who is listening. Or paying attention.
When my son Jackson was a baby, everyone remarked how he was so quiet, yet observant. Like he was always paying attention. In fact, I recall my mom, or "Bubbe", softly but repeatedly advising him when he was 2 years old to "pay attention" when she was showing him things and teaching him stuff.
It stuck. That kid, like his mom (that's me!), doesn't miss a thing. He isn't super talky, but when he does open his mouth, you marvel at the astute quality of his observations. He is paying attention. I volunteered in his classroom the other day and was blown away how everyone's mouth around him was flapping, while he sat quietly, his eyes sweeping the room as he took in everything the chatterboxes were saying. He can tell you what everyone said, and he's sometimes got opinions on why they say it, but he doesn't feel a need to interject or boast or add in. He's just observing. Paying attention.
Yesterday, he was teaching me something, and I was surprised and delighted by the information.
"Wow!" I said, "You learn something every day..."
"...if you pay attention." he finished, smiling at me.
Way to go, Bubbe. Your legacy stands before you, twice over.
Thanks,
Dani & Jackson
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