Mom Lesson: The Little Things Matter the Most

Posted by Rachel Engel

My daughter figured out how to flip up the light switch last week. She had mastered turning it down, to flip the light off, several months ago, but for the longetst time, understanding the concept of using her hand to push it back up eluded her. But a few days ago, she figured it out, and I don't know which was funnier: the look of shock on her face after she did it the first time, or my look of absolute pure pride. I was beaming, and had tears in my eyes. I felt like a lunatic, but it touched me so much.

My mom told me a story about one afternoon when I was a toddler, and she and I were in my room, flicking the door jam and watching it wiggle. She told me we stayed there playing with the door jam for a good half an hour, because I found so much joy in it (what can I say, I was an easy-to-please child). She said that somewhere in the world, people were making life-changing, important decisions about the country, about the world... and she couldn't have been more content to sit and watch her daughter giggle at the door jam.

I know what she means, now.

Since I was 15 years old, I have had a job and been in school of some kind. I thrive(d) on working and learning as much as I could, and one of my fears while pregnant was being bored as a stay-at-home-mom. I wanted a baby more than anything in the world, and I knew I wanted to be the one to raise my child, but I was terrified that after many months of peek-a-boo and baby food, I'd be craving some intellectual stimulants and be dying to get back to work... but that's just not how it's worked out.

Instead, I find myself beyond delighted by seeing my daughter master tasks that had frustrated her mere days before. I love watching her eyes get big, and her smile stretch as I play the same game I played the day before with her, that she still absolutely loves. And yes, I love watching her figure out how to turn on a light switch. I do! After she did it the first time, I twirled her around her, kissed her chubby cheeks, and tossed her in the air-- another one of her favorite activities.

I still love my keeping up with current events, reading a good book, and hashing it out with my husband in a heated debate over politics. But honestly? I'd give all of that up forever in a second to be able to watch my kiddo figure out the light switch, and eventually the doorknob, the television remote, and my iPhone.

It's more than just appreciating the little things; it's getting the chance to see the world through her eyes.

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