Life Lessons Learned From Liam

Yes, it’s true! It’s possible to learn what’s really important in life as seen and shared by a 2-½ year old boy named Liam. Of course I’m rather partial, he is after all my grandson and “Grandma’s Little Man”.

Come along with me on one of our little adventures…

Liam and I like to go for a walks. It seems I always have a purpose in mind and Liam just simply enjoys the journey. While I’m focused on getting there, he has other ideas in mind. It becomes very clear Liam has yet to hear the phrase, “Walk with a purpose!” Not yet anyway, and you can be sure he will never hear it from me!

First of all we stop longer than we ever walk. We sit on the sidewalk (yes, it’s cold and yes I remember what our mothers told us about sitting on cold sidewalks) nevertheless I am the Grandma after all. Part of my job description is doing what ever my grandchildren enjoy. (Of course when he gets much older and wants to sky dive I will have to break my own rule and decline.)

After we have sat on the sidewalk for a while picking up stones, twigs, grass and yes, some unknown objects, then and only then we move on. A few short steps later and we’re picking up maple keys and throwing them up in the air. At first I just want to watch him as he squeals with joy. Liam on the other hand will have none of that! He insists we both throw them up into the breeze together. As I toss mine I am reminded of my childhood and how much fun this really is. Liam laughs spontaneously with a belly laugh so deep it would cause even the most solemn person to crack a smile.

A few more steps and Liam feels it’s necessary to bend down and touch all of the driveways as we cross over them. My job as I see it, is to point out whether they are made of asphalt or concrete. This becomes too much fun for him and we must repeat these actions over and over and over again. I have to say I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun touching driveways, have you? It’s at this point that I am reminded that I had indeed promised myself to begin an exercise routine. Something that seems to skip my mind when I am not with him put pops up over and over again as Liam and I go on our adventures!

I now think I’ve forgotten what our destination was to begin with. I’m so wrapped up in watching the planes fly overhead and laughing with Liam at what tricks the birds seem to be up to. Everything is simply fascinating! After walking for about 35 minutes to a destination that could have easily taken 8, we finally arrive. Yes, that’s right, we are at Liam’s neighbourhood park.

While he is busy climbing up the jungle gym and then sliding down the slide I’m busy catching him and making a huge fuss over how great I think he is. Of course, I never need an excuse to sing his praises, that’s for sure. After countless repetitions we now embark on a much bigger project. In case you’ve tried to guess what our next task is, forget about it. You could never guess in a million years. Liam has decided that we need to cover a huge rock with as many dried leaves as we can find in the park. I have to admit it was actually fun. This is what they must do in the army known as camouflage. Liam is wise beyond his years! Why should the other kids that come to the park and find this rock so easily? He must believe he’s making it more fun for the other kids or why would he do this?

When it’s time to leave the park I illogically assume the trip home with be quick without any stops. How wrong could one Grandma be? After all, on the way to the park all the things we did were so much fun how could we not do them all over again and again. Of course this time with a detour into a muddy forest. Oh well, so much for my shoes. Liam was smart enough to wear his boots ☺

Lesson Learned:
Now I don’t focus on the destination or I will miss the fun along the way! When I’m out with Liam I do what he taught me to do, I enjoy new things. I make sure I look up and all around. I never realized how much I was missing until now.

P.S. Always check out what your grandchildren are wearing on their feet. This perhaps may give you a hint as to what you’re about to step into.

Check more from Diane Broos at her website www.dynamicliving4u.com

Get A Grip On Life

What is true success? Society measures success as power, position, cash, the right tags on your clothes, where you live and what you drive. Perhaps you do as well. Don’t play the fool, check it out for yourself!

Try this on for size… Success is not who you are when everything is going right. Who you are when life is easy? Of course you would be confident in your abilities, your stuff, your life, perhaps thinking as you look around that you are better then others, when the living is easy.

The true measure of success is who you are when the storms of life rage in your direction. When the rains of adversity throw you down to the ground. Who are you in the tornado of life, when everything you thought was true ends up to be just the exact opposite. Who are you when that happens? I personally measure success by the ability to get up after heartache, depression, failure, rejection, and hurts, to just name a few.

People who have been through a lot are more valuable to society. They are not losers that we just toss away and think we are superior to. I feel as though I have been through so much in my life and this has taught me how to connect to people. Really connect with them and have empathy for them as they go through negative circumstances. Our value comes when we have gone through the storm and are then able to help others come through.

George S. Patton said, “I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.”

Some people think that if you fail you are less valuable. The truth is, that if you never step out, if all you ever do is play it safe you’ll never know what could have been. Life is not always kind, but it is what we take away from our challenge that sets us apart.

When I was 4 years old my grandfather introduced me to boxing. It was important to us as George Chuvalo, the Canadian Heavyweight Boxing Champion lived across the street. Everything about boxing reminds me even to this day about how life works.

Muhammad Ali is quoted by saying. “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”

Who would you rather watch your back? Someone who is too delicate to fight back, or afraid to make mistakes and so never ventures out into any thing new, or someone who has failed a number of times and just keeps getting back up?

Additional information at my website DynamicLiving4U.com