11 Unexpected Life Lessons, Part II

Wisdom shows up in the most unexpected places. 

In Part I of 11 Unexpected Life Lessons, I shared seven valuable lessons I learned from my granddaughter Lauren during a recent beach trip. In this post, I'll share the remaining four.

8. Don’t let a lack of resources stop you. Because Lauren’s mommy knew the beach house we were staying in wasn’t equipped for children, she packed a basket of toys to bring with them. In the last-minute rush to get on the road, however, she left the basket behind. “I can’t believe I forgot it. What are they going to play with?”

We easily entertained Caroline, the 8-month-old, with plastic measuring spoons, bowls, and lids. Lauren, on the other hand, proved what I’ve always believed, that an imagination is the only toy a child needs.

One morning I turned from the stove where I’d been fixing breakfast to discover that she’d sorted all the Rubbermaid lids by shape and lined them up from smallest to largest across the kitchen floor. When she tired of that, she grouped them according to color.

She was also fascinated by the assortment of decorative soaps in the bathrooms. One day I let her sniff a pump bottle of lemon-scented soap and a pretty dispenser of orange soft soap. Ten minutes later, Lauren grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into her bedroom. There she proudly showed me what she’d done—tucked a bottle of soap into each of the twin beds. She placed them on the pillows and pulled the covers up to their “necks.” She’d even put her pacifier next to the largest bottle. While I watched, she patted their “heads,” planted a gentle kiss on each, and bid them “night night.”

Sometimes I let a lack of resources hinder me. Other times, I follow Lauren’s example and focus more on what I have than what I don’t have. When I think creatively, I’m often pleasantly surprised.

9. Talk to strangers. While some children are shy, most are eager and interested in the people around them. They don’t care if they’re young, old, black, or white. They can’t tell if a person is above or below their socioeconomic status, and they’re terrible at guessing a stranger’s education level. For them, all it takes is a friendly face to spark a conversation.

All week long I watched Lauren work her charm. She attracted people like a magnet. Within ten minutes she was chattering away with two little girls in a tidal pool. She told the cashier at BiLo her name, and told a shirtless man with a long beard that she liked “pink ice cweam.”

On our last day at the beach, she invited me into the tidal pool. Before long five cousins vacationing from North Carolina and Georgia had gathered around us. We had a lovely conversation. It’s amazing what you talk about when your toes are buried in silt.

Because of Lauren’s outgoing nature, I also talked with the parents and grandparents of the friends she made. We discovered common interests, swapped vacation tales, and shared faith stories. Lauren taught me that strangers are only friends you haven’t met yet.

10. Ask lots of questions. “What do turtles eat? Where do birds sleep? Where’d the water go? Why does Papa snore?” Lauren’s curiosity is boundless as she learns about the world around her.

My curiosity should be equally far-reaching. Because adults have a greater ability to understand and engage, we should ponder and question, then search out the answers.

Here are some questions my week with Lauren sparked: How many times a day does a child laugh? Why does humidity make hair curlier? How much sand can a child ingest before suffering ill effects? How long does it take 52-year-old muscles to recover from a week of carrying, lifting, bending, crawling, and running?

11. Sing often. It doesn’t take much for Lauren to break out into song. She sang about “the wittle white duck fwoatin’ on the wawer” on the way to the hardware store. She serenaded us with, “Zacchaeus was a wee wittle man,” as we played in the ocean.

She even made up a brand new chorus to Old MacDonald Had a Farm. Remember her love for the decorative soap at the beach house? The sweetly-scented toiletries inspired this: “. . . and on that farm he had a bar of soap, E-I, E-I, O. With a wash-wash here and a wash-wash there, here a wash, there a wash, everywhere a wash-wash.”

I noticed that when we sang along with her happy choruses, we smiled, too. It’s quite difficult to sing and frown at the same time, but why would we want to? Singing about how “God made the mountains, and God made the trees” reminded us that our great big Father God was perfectly capable of taking care of us. There’s a reason why the psalmist urged his listeners to “put on the garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness” (Isa. 61:3). Even if we’re not singing praise songs, music ministers to our hearts.

I hope by now you agree that profundity doesn’t have to be complex. Instead, it can be refreshingly simple, just like the little girl I spent the week with. As we officially enter the summer season, I hope you’ll take time to look closely at the world around you, ask for help when needed, spend time with people you love, laugh a lot, respect your limitations, slow down and savor, don’t let limited resources stop you, talk to strangers, ask questions, and, most of all, wherever you are, be all there.

 “. . . and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11:6).

Have a great summer!

If you missed Part I of "11 Unexpected Life Lessons," CLICK HERE.

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11 Unexpected Life Lessons, Part I

Profound doesn’t have to be complex. Oftentimes, the most profound truths are also the simplest. 

After spending time at Edisto Beach recently with Lauren, my favorite two-year-old, I jotted down 11 rules I learned from her that I want to apply to my life. I think you'll find them worth considering, also. 

11 Life Lessons from Lauren 

1. Look closely at the world around you. Lauren examines everything. Seashells, fish, even the lemon-scented soft soap in the bathroom is worth a close-up look. She notices the tiniest crab as he scuttles along the beach, Papa and Gigi’s toothbrushes hanging in the bathroom, and the unfortunate snake that didn’t look both ways before he crossed the road. Because I’m not very observant, Lauren is a great example to me. 

2. Ask for help. There are many things two-year-olds can’t do. They don’t know how to eat a push up pop, build a sand castle, or open boiled peanuts. They don’t know how to get sand out of their bathing suits, catch a hermit crab, or jump over waves. They do, however, know when they need help and aren’t afraid to ask for it. Most of us could take a page from their playbook. Admitting our need or lack of knowledge is both humbling and empowering. 

3. Spend one-on-one time with those you love. Lauren loves snuggling on the porch swing, cuddling for a nap, or talking about whatever comes to mind. Summer vacations are great opportunities to spend time with extended family and friends, but they shouldn’t be the only time we hang out. Even if you don’t live nearby, a visit by phone, Skype, or Face Time can be great for letting friends and family know you love them. 

4. Laugh often. Every day Lauren makes silly jokes and funny faces. Her giggle sounds like joy bubbling out. Her original songs, dramatic gestures, and perceptive insights keep us smiling. She is our family’s comic relief. Even after she goes to bed, we’re still laughing as we compare notes on the hilarious things she did that day. Since laughing boosts our immune system, relieves stress, and lowers our blood pressure, we’d all be wise to follow Lauren’s lead and laugh often and laugh well. 

5. Respect your limitations. Lauren needed a little help with this one. I noticed that her normally sunny disposition would take a nosedive if she felt hungry or tired. Thankfully, she has attentive parents who recognize the signs and intervene. A well-timed snack or nap restores her equilibrium, and she’s good to go again. 

We, too could benefit from understanding and respecting our limitations. If our bodies function best on seven or more hours of sleep, we should do everything we can to allow for this. If we work best in the morning or the evening, in a quiet atmosphere or a busting one, we should try to accommodate these dynamics instead of fighting against them. There will always be times when we have to make do in less than ideal situations, but ignoring the way God created us is always counterproductive. 

6. When you’re there, be all there. There’s something delightful about the abandon of a child. They don’t hold back, hedge their bets, or have one toe in. Since this was Lauren’s first real trip to the ocean, we were curious to see how she’d react. Enthusiastic is an understatement. She chased waves, dug in the sand, and lay on her belly and splashed. She came home every day with sand in her hair, mouth, ears, and, well, other places we won’t mention. Bottom line for us grownups? Wherever we are, be fully engaged. Multitasking shortchanges everyone, including ourselves. 

7. Slow down and savor instead of gallop and gulp. Ever watched a two-year-old eat a peanut butter cracker? First you twist it to separate the top from the bottom. Next you scrape the peanut butter off with your teeth. Then you eat the top. Then, because you notice the seagulls gathering around you, you break off a corner and toss it their way. One piece for Lauren, one piece for the birds. One piece for Lauren, one piece for the birds. It’s not a speedy way to eat, nor is it the most efficient, but it sure is satisfying. I wonder how many simple pleasures we miss because we’re gulping instead of savoring?

". . . and a little child shall lead them" (Isa. 11:6).

In my next blog post, I'll share Part II of Life Lessons from Lauren. If you haven't subscribed to receive twice-weekly blog posts, now is a great time to sign up so you won't miss a single post.

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe? I'll send you twice-weekly 5-minute devotions to help nourish your soul. 
Because women need to connect with God in the craziness of life. 

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