January 6th
Ethan: *holding up index fingers* Are these my thumbs?
Lindsey: *points to left hand thumb* No, that is.
later...
Lindsey: Ethan, show me your thumbs!
Ethan: *holds up thumb on left hand, index finger on right*
~~~~~~~
Sometimes, we really just want someone to explain everything to us. Tell us exactly what we need to do; where to go; what to say; who meet. Wouldn't it be nice if someone would simply say "This is what you need to do to make your every dream come true." How great would that be? No more trying to decide if moving is a good idea or weighing whether you really should devote so much time to this project. Just sit back and let some tell you precisely how life should go...
"Should I go to that school?" - - - No, you should go to this other one, it will be better for you.
"How long should I put up with this job?" - - 3 more months.
"What if I can't pay that bill?" - Don't worry, you're going to get an unexpected bonus next week.
"Are these my thumbs?" - No. This is your right thumb and this is your left.
Life would be so simple... but we wouldn't learn a darn thing! If someone told you exactly how everything was going to turn out and provided an explanation for everything, how would you ever learn for yourself?
At the time, I will admit that I was simply rushed (trying to put on 13 pairs of snow pants isn't the easiest thing in the world!) and thus only showed Ethan one thumb. Looking back on it now, though, I'm glad I did. It was a moment that made me realize - we aren't going to have everything explained to us in life and that's okay. It may take us a few tries - it may take months to remember which is our thumb on our right hand - but once we have it down, once we know something for sure, we get to be so proud of ourselves. It's a great feeling. - That moment of "I figured this out. I made it through. No, it wasn't easy and yes, I often got very frustrated that my mitten on my right hand didn't fit properly... but I worked at it and I'm better for it."
So go out there - learn and keep learning.
Don't expect someone to explain it all - be determined to take the risks and figure it out for yourself! You'll be glad you did.