LMKTM: Go With The Flow

I’ll admit it. I have a tendency to be a little uptight when it comes to planning. I like to plan things. I like to plan my plans. For most of my life, I’ve been pretty good at making a plan and sticking to it. Then…I had kids. Plans? Out the window. I’m not even talking about big plans like wanting to accomplish certain goals or trying to create something. I’m talking about far less complicated things like, well, showering. Yes, even my daily plans for bathing have often succumbed to the spontaneity that being a mother forces on one’s ideals. By the way, no need to become concerned for my hygiene, dear readers. Rest assured that, plan or not, I do make sure to get a shower every day someway, somehow. I’m quite committed to it. Just wanted to clear that up.

When you become a parent, whatever you may have had planned for the the month, the week, yes, even the day or the hour, is all subject to change up until the moment of execution. Kids are unpredictable. You never know what may set their beautiful, happy mood into total meltdown in a matter of seconds. When you’re far from a “go with the flow” kind of a person like I am, this can often be very, very frustrating. Your carefully scheduled plans just flew out the window like a stack of paper on a windy day, and you’re left, futilely and frantically trying to recover each one, knowing it’s too late as you watch them carried away on the air.

So what do you do about it? Sadly, it took me a long time to realize that the improper response was to stomp my feet, take on a foul mood, and bemoan the loss of my precious schedule. It may be my natural instinct, but come to find out (this is shocking, brace yourself) my bad attitude about my children’s inability to understand the importance of my plans does nothing to make my situation any better. In fact, it makes everything a whole lot worse.

One day while watching my son Joey laugh his head off, his face splayed into an expression of pure joy, totally unaware of the missed plans and failed schedules that his mom was fuming over, I felt convicted. This moment, I realized, was life. My kids crying, laughing, missing naps, and shredding my beloved plans to tiny, forgotten bits is life. Life is in those moments. Life is not a schedule or being able to plan every single minute of my time. Life is in the journey. Life is in the unexpected. Life, I sadly realized, will pass me by as I sit in a corner pouting, if I don’t recognize the joy and beauty that my kids’ often unplanned responses can bring. In short, I needed to learn to go with the flow.

Realize today, that sometimes life happens whether we’ve scheduled it that way or not. We can’t control everything, but what we can control is our response to things. If something happens today that is not in your plan – embrace it! Allow the beauty of the moment to overcome your disappointment in what “should have been.” Let go and watch your life become less stressed and more free. Go with the flow.