Food for Thought

I recently had a speaker come to my MOPS group and give a presentation on having a "wining attitude."  It was a great reminder about how much your attitude affects what is going on around you.  I must admit that sometimes I do not possess this even when I know I should.  For example, the last few times I have had to go to the dentist, I have had the opportunity to bring both children with me.  My dentist, for lack of a better word, is old.  He's the sweetest man and although his hands shake while he checks my teeth; I stick with him despite my hour and half long visits, because I trust him and he's been my Grandma's dentist forever.  I admit that trying to keep your children happy and on their best behavior for that long while someone has you in a chair with your mouth occupied, is not always easy and sometimes I'm sour about it.  Imagine my surprise though when I recently attended Jack's preschool graduation.  Towards the close, they announced what each child had decided they would like to be when they grew up.  (This was a question I had never asked Jack, and was intrigued to have answered)  I heard the typical answers, "a superhero, Buzz Lightyear, a Basketball player, a princess, etc..)  Then came the moment to hear Jack's dream....."a dentist."  I admit that my eyes filled with tears.  Who knew?  All those times I have been grouchy about having to tote my kids along with me for my exam, and Jack has been sitting beside me taking in so much more than I knew.  Truly, a light bulb turned on in my brain.  Maybe the things we think are so hard, are often the things our children are learning and growing the most from.  From now on, I'm going to use this story to remind me how much a "wining attitude" affects an outcome.