Whether you have kids or not here’s a little gem – you can learn a lot by watching and over hearing them.
As a parent, you can learn a lot about yourself (since they, more or less, are your little reflections). Not saying that’s what we want to be seeing, but nonetheless, a reality.
As an observer of kids, it’s oftentimes in their simplicity that we see and over hear how complex we can make things.
For the past 3 weeks we have been running a weekly team challenge. Groups of 3 need to complete a certain amount of work over the course of a weekend. It’s a way to maintain some sense of community in this time that often can feel relatively isolating.
There was a team this week that was down a team member. I was talking to my wife about it and going through a list of people that could maybe fill in.
In the distance my middle son said, “I could do it.” For starters, he was like two rooms away with headphones on. I am ever so confused that he can’t hear me (ever) when I ask to him to clean his room. But random stuff that he isn’t even a part of the conversation with…all ears. But I digress….Secondly: he loves video games, stop motion and creating stuff. He does NOT love: going to the gym, being around the gym, driving to the gym, exercising in the gym, looking at the gym, thinking about the gym…
“What are the movements?”
SCREEEEEEEEEECCCHHHHHHH. “Excuse me? Come again? We are talking about a workout.”
“Hey, if I can help a team, I would like to. I feel bad that someone can’t participate that wants to. So what are the workouts.”
“I mean, there are bear crawls in them and no one likes those…”
(Cutting in)”….yeah, I’m in.”
Jaw drop. (Sidebar, let it be known that there is one member, Adam, who every week has been on a different team. Never complains. Never says, “that’s not my team.” I have a lot to learn from him too.)
And so yesterday rolls around and bear crawls, broad jumps, kettlebell swings, and sit ups are on the list. He heads outside and completes everything…while it’s raining – movement standards and all. I was baffled.
Here was what I was really baffled about – he didn’t do it because he would necessarily choose this on his own. He did this to provide one simple, caring act that kept a team together for this week. And that’s what mattered to him. Before he started he said, “I hope I do well for these guys and can fill in well for…who am I filling in for?…..Yeah, I want to do well for her.”
We are in this crazy time where we all have different opinions of how things should or should not be happening. Are we too strict or not strict enough? Is it better to go out or stay home? Should we open up businesses or keep them closed? Masks are effective or masks aren’t? This is essential or this isn’t? Trust me, I have a million opinions. And frankly, I think some are right and then again, most likely, a lot are wrong. But I know I get wrapped up in those opinions. I get angry and quiet and loud and sad…
Here’s what I learned, even if for a moment, from my son – “if i can help a team I would like to.” If I can stop and even do something I wouldn’t choose to do to help someone else, I’m willing to do it.
I know we are a gym. I know that people probably read a blog by the gym expecting some sort of motivation or level of expertise in movement or thoughts about health and fitness. There will be plenty of those. But maybe having our heads up, seeing where we can help (however that may look), looking a bit more outwardly is where healthy living actually starts and helps us to really thrive.
What (better yet, who) can we see with clear eyes that we might be missing?
Maybe it will help to clear our heads a bit. And mental health is just as important as physical.
Sometimes it takes a child to remind and teach me that.