Did I bring a smile to someone’s face?
Or did they bring one to mine instead?
Yesterday I wrangled the three boys into the car because I had to do a few errands. They only had to go in the store with me for one stop (thank God for curbside) so it was mainly a LOT of driving around town.
Even more driving than expected because I, of course, went to the wrong Walmart for grocery pickup. It happens.
Fearing they’d get bored and therefore start to wrestle or throw flip flops at each other, I started to ask random questions to get them talking. All of them fell flat until one of my twins finally piped up and said “I have a game! I have a game!”
“What’s the game?” I asked relieved.
“It’s called animals. I have an animal in my head and you ask a bunch of questions to try and guess it.”
“Ok,” I said. “Good suggestion! So, is your animal big or small?”
He laughed and said, “Is your animal big or small?”
The other two boys and I shouted instantly: “It’s a parrot!” which made him collapse into a fit of giggles.
“My turn next! My turn!” his twin begged and so the game went on and on for the rest of the drive.
The game, the creativity, the joy as they played – it all brought a smile to my face.
It was something so very simple – a goofy game on a drive around town for mundane errands… but it was so meaningful.
Sometimes I have a habit of asking the wrong questions when I get to the end of a day:
Did I get enough done?
Did I check all the boxes on my list?
Is the laundry done?
Is the house clean?
Did I schedule all the right appointments?
Have I solved that pesky fly problem yet?
This quote by Henri Nouwen reminds me there are better questions to ask.
So as we begin this weekend, let’s pause and ask:
“Did I offer peace this week?
Did I bring a smile to someone’s face?
Did I say words of healing?
Did I let go of my anger and resentment?
Did I forgive? Did I love?”
These are the questions that matter.
(Oh, and if I want to bring a smile to my own face, I get coffee… hence today’s design)
