I have had a great day today with Johanna, Isaiah and Peter.
While in the car Isaiah and I were talking about what to make for dinner. It went something like this.
I asked “what would you like for dinner?” Isaiah quickly and cheerfully responded, “homemade pizza.”
“Hmm,” I responded, “how do you make that?” He walked me through the steps (quite logically) and asked “do you think you can make that?”
“I think I can,”I responded, “if you have ingredients. What would you like if you can’t have pizza?” He thought and said “Mac and Cheese, but I only likes the elbow kind”
Hmm, I thought, I really am not sure Suzi has mac and cheese. I started to try to think through what else I might be able to get him to consider….
Then he cheerfully looked at me and said, “Aunt Trish, I will just eat whatever you make me.”
I was so touched by his conclusion to the question I asked. I asked a big question to initiate conversation and it was really a bigger question than I could follow through on. I had no idea what was on the shelves at Suzi’s and realized I was hoping he might say something like peanut butter and jelly or something simple. I was fortunate that he did not set his 4 1/2 year old mind on something that I could not produce. He very much enjoyed grilled cheese and some potato chips.
I wonder how often I ask questions that I don’t really consider what might be required of me. I want to be aware of the questions I ask this year, questions that I am willing to follow through on, especially if I initiate the question. And perhaps when I screw up in this area, which I am sure I will, the person I am conversing with will be as gracious as sweet Isaiah was with me.
I absolutely love this!