Simple Joys

“Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.” - G.K.Chesterton

 This quotation is so inspiring to me as the mother of a 2 year old boy who LOVES to read Dr. Seuss over and over and play the same games and the same songs ad infinitum.  Some days, I can just do the first few repeats and then he gets going on his own without need for further involvement.  Then, there are days (like today) when he needs me to be just as excited as he is for an extended period of time.

Today we started "hard core" potty training.  My dear mommy friend tells me I'm silly as anything to see this as a major undertaking, but patience and endurance have not always been my strong points, especially when the "ick" factor is involved.  However, JT is successfully going in his potty (after 3 accidents and one "use the potty insert to dump water from the toilet all over the bathroom floor" incident during the one moment mommy was distracted cleaning something else around the corner.)  And despite the laundry, I'm really kinda loving it.  He gets so much joy out of being "grown up," and my own repeat enthusiasm is not an act--I'm truly proud of my little man.

Sometimes I feel like I must be ridiculous to God.  I come to Him with such little problems and successes looking for help and affirmation.  But I feel that, like Chesterton's analogy regarding His child-like, unfatigued joy, that Our Lord is also the perfect parent to each of us in constantly delighting in our small steps towards full maturity of heart.

I never get tired of hearing the ones I love say, "I love you;" the repetition of love is never monotony.  So perhaps I need to ask God to transform my view of the dishes and constantly crumby kitchen floor as opportunities to express love, not as sources of monotonous action.  May the God of endless joy help me also to be "strong enough to exult in monotony."