Did you see that?!?

I’m sitting on my front porch – never far from my laptop – and watching Abby, my almost-11-year-old try and do a handstand. She’s mastered cartwheels. I mean: mastered! They are perfect, flowing, even slow-motion, if you ask for such. But handstands are a different deal entirely. She’s asked me to stand in the yard and catch her feet when they’re totally over her head and help her balance. And yes, I’ve pried myself away from Twitter, email, and the like to do so. But apart from my help and without me being part of her activity at all, she just keeps going – again and again and again. Trying to be able to keep her legs and feet balanced over her head. She will not give up. She’s persistent. She’s determined. She will not give in to the idea of failure, inability, or lack of mastery.

And, of course, the second I look away (yes, to my keyboard) she says, “Mom! Did you see that?!?” Aaaaugh! I missed it!

Not surprisingly, I’ve found personal application in this story: How many times are people, realities, and emotions screaming at me, “Did you see that?!?” and I’m too self-absorbed to notice? I need to look up, look around, and be aware of all that’s going on around me.

And if that weren’t enough: Am I willing to be as persistent as she is? Am I just as determined to not give into the idea of failure, inability, or lack of mastery? Hmmmm. Not so much. Maybe I should attempt handstands as a physical manifestation of what I’m trying to do in so many other aspects of my life…

Abby is amazing. She is nimble and limber and athletic and awesome. All the things I NEVER thought about myself at her age. And, if truth be told, still don’t! She’s inviting me to see and celebrate not only her – but the many things in my day-to-day life that deserve my attention. And more, she’s inviting me to not give up, to not give in, to try – again and again and again.

Abby yells, “Did you see that?!?” Yes, sweet girl, I did…more than you know.

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