Joy

Before we left Yakima Lillian was fighting some really strong anxiety.  Without getting into too many details I will say that she was in counseling and we were all working hard at trying to create a stable and reassuring environment for her.  Then we decided to make this move - a totally counter intuitive measure when taking into consideration where Lily was at.  I weighed the decision heavily - for Lily.  Would this be good?  Bad?  Disastrous?  No way to answer that question of course - not with out giving it a go - so go we did.

Here we are, almost a year to the day that we first sent an email inquiry about the job over here - and Lily has blown me away.  My timid, nervous girl that was crawling inside of herself just one year ago has blossomed.  I can only theorize what led to her growth - maybe it would have happened no matter where we were.  I don't know.  All that I know is that last year I don't think I could have convinced her to walk across a stage in front of 100 people, let alone sing a solo on stage in font of 750. (Which is what she did last Friday, in Japanese to boot!)  Here and now, she is bright and shiny.  She is visible joy.  Her act on Friday made me so proud - I am so glad that she had the courage.  In doing so she made me stop and notice how far she has come.  Ganbatte Lillian!  (Go for it!)

So Friday started off amazingly, watching my girl on stage.  The day was busy and productive.  At 7 PM the kids and I were still on the go - no chance to have dinner yet.  We decided that ice cream was in order.  The kids favorite ice cream here is surprisingly at Circle K.  They have this really cool soft ice cream machine that I have got to show you sometime.  Anyway - there we are (the kids, myself, and my bossman Tyler), waiting for our ice cream and Jaxon is goofing off.  We are laughing at him - and with him - when the woman making our ice cream says something I haven't stopping thinking about.  She said (in Japanese, which Tyler translated) "Laughter is the same in every language."  She was so happy to see Jaxon so happy, and she couldn't have been more right.  A smile or a laugh says "joy" no matter who or where it is seen and heard.  

These little things are the things I don't want to ever forget.  I want to remember the way that my children can make others smile.  I want to hang onto the proud feeling I get when they spread joy and happiness just by being happy themselves.  Life is not so complicated.  We should be living, only to pursue happiness, for ourselves and others.  Without that there is nothing else.

Here's to happiness - pass it on.

Comments

  1. slowneyJuly 21, 2012 at 10:29 PM

    I get happy knowing that your family is doing so well in Japan. Lily's getting up there was amazing and wonderful. I do hope to get Leslie & I over there before you come back to the states.

    ReplyDelete

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