A Three Year Old’s Instruction On Embracing What We Can Control

Mila's joyful greeting echoes through the living room as she bounds towards me, her arms outstretched. We've only been apart for a few hours, but to a two-and-a-half-year-old, that's an eternity. The excited run ends abruptly as she trips and falls, her favorite princess dress crumpling around her.

"What do you want to do next, Bug?" I ask gently.

Her eyes meet mine, a mix of surprise and determination. She's on the brink of tears, yet she knows she has a choice. After a beat, her face lights up. "I have an idea!" she declares.

Intrigued, I ask, "Oh yeah? What's your idea?"

"Can I try that again?" she asks, her tone serious. I nod, silently hoping this lesson stays with her throughout life: we always have the power to try again. With newfound resolve, she picks herself up and runs out of the room.

In life, we often face circumstances that test our resilience and challenge our perceptions of self-worth. We sometimes find ourselves in situations where we feel like we've fallen, much like Mila, and our sense of control seems to slip away. However, it's crucial to remember that even in these moments, we have the power to decide our next steps.

First and foremost, we must understand that it's okay to fall and make mistakes. It's a part of life and growth. What's more important is our willingness to pick ourselves back up and try again. This decision is always within our control, and it's this power to try again that fuels our resilience and shapes our character.

Secondly, let's not allow circumstances to dictate our self-worth or beliefs. Our value is not determined by external factors but by our inner strength, resilience, and the courage to keep going, even when times are tough.

Finally, remember that to hope is not to aim for a particular outcome, but to remain open and resilient during uncertain times. When you cling to hope despite the outcome, you’ll be ready to bloom again when the time is right.

This is how we write our redemption stories: leverage what is within your control - the ability to try again, the resilience to keep going, and the knowledge that growth does not come from the tightness of our grip, but the freedom of our next steps.