If you know my mom…YOU ARE BLESSED! She is a ray of sunshine in everyone’s life she meets. Growing up we called her “Suzy Sunshine” or “ Polly Positive!” If it was snowing outside, she would say, “This is just another way the grass is going to be fed - just a little colder!” If I made a bad grade, she would comment to me, “Well, it’s going to be ok because now you know exactly what you need to focus on.” If I didn’t get the playing time I wanted in a sport, her reaction was simply, “Maybe this girl needs to get better so she needs this playing time. The coach already knows you can do it- you will be fine!” There was nothing she couldn’t or wouldn’t turn into something positive! When my sister and I would argue, she would make us “hug until you are happy!” We would be so angry and roll our eyes and thought this was so dumb, but she made us do it and wouldn’t let us let go until we were laughing.
One year I asked her to come be a guest speaker in my class. I had no idea what she would say or do, but I knew it would be all flowers and sunshine. My kids needed that! Not that I wasn’t all flowers and sunshine….. But it was my mom - the most “Flowery of all flowers and Brightest of all sunshines!” She showed up and asked if she could borrow a couple of kids to help her unload her car. Oh goodness- she brought props! Here we go!
Now, I needed to remind myself that my mom was the mom of all moms!. She was the ultimate room mom, the PTA president, a soccer, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics mom,Sunday school teacher, a dance mom AND the greatest CampFire Leader in the world! “I need not to worry,” I thought to myself - SHE WILL DO GREAT!
I introduced her and she began her lesson. She went through the calendar and talked about the holidays that were celebrated each month. Of course she had hats and posters and dangly colored thingys to represent everything the kids would say. If she didn’t have something she would dig in the box of goodies and find something that would do. This was fun, but I wasn’t sure exactly where she was taking it. She divided my class up into groups and said, “Now you need to create a day to celebrate! Choose a date, a color scheme, a mascot, a song… whatever else you need to celebrate your day!” The kids had a blast! They got to use lots of the props and random things mother had brought to help them present “THEIR DAY” to the class!
At the end of the lesson she simply stated this… “We don’t have to wait until a certain day on the calendar to celebrate. Each day should be a celebration! Make every day as happy and important as the next! Celebrate others too! Surprise someone close to you that would not expect it - celebrate them! Our world needs us to lift up each other!” Yep! And there it was -this was MY momma right here! She brings something good to EVERYDAY and sees something good in EVERYONE- even if there seems like there isn’t anything - She. Will. Find. The. HAPPY! Today was the perfect lesson!
As a teenager I swore I would NEVER be this kind of parent - but here I am! I proudly smile when someone tells me I am too positive. One of the guidance counselors even told me a kid didn’t want to be in my class because “Mrs. Cullen is way too happy all the time!” I’ll take that! AS parents we didn’t do “time-out” with our kids - we would simply say, “ Just take yourself right upstairs and find your happy!” It worked for us! Sometimes our kiddos didn’t come down for hours! Oh well… all I know is they were fine when they did come down!
My mom never really sat me down and taught me all this. It was how she lived… and still lives! My mother has taught by example! MOMMA… I can honestly say I have become YOU in so many ways (and can I now say that without rolling my eyes)! I celebrate EACH DAY because of you! Thank you for showing me how much a simple smile can do and how important it is to find “the happy” in every day!!
How can you celebrate each day? Or each week? Put on your “Suzy Sunshine and Polly Positive” pants on and take time out and point out the great things everyday so you can look back and celebrate. Keep a journal if you need to! I have found the more I look at things positively, the easier it is to get through the tough stuff! Start today!! CELEBRATE EVERYTHING-CELEBRATE EVERYONE and CELEBRATE EVERYDAY!! (thanks mom- I love you!)