Perception vs. Reality

Parenthood is often a big game of "what's really going on here?" Everyone has their own idea: mom, dad, toddler, and baby. Usually everyone is a little bit off. Here's a few examples:

What Mama thinks is happening: an epic struggle to protect her unwilling child from the elements
What Gigi thinks is happening: baby torture
What is actually happening: getting an infant dressed in the morning

What Finn sees: a scary bear that's going to get him
What Mama sees: an overactive imagination
Really there: a "Little People" panda bear the size of a lime

What Gigi sees: a basket of soft, edible toys
What Mama sees: a never-ending monster
In reality: laundry

What Finn hears: his favorite sound in the world
What Mama hears: a distraction keeping her from changing a diaper
The sound: a garbage truck

What Finn sees: something he wants desperately because Gigi has it
What Gigi sees: something to lick, eat, touch, squish, and throw on the ground
Applies to: Everything

What Finn thinks is happening: his own personal cooking show
What Mama thinks is happening: my kitchen is being destroyed!
What is actually happening: the redistribution of flour

Sometimes children can remind us how narrow and selfish the human perception can be. Other times, they can expand our horizons to see our world another way. Parenting has certainly opened my eyes to my own short-sightedness and shown me how inadequate my vision is compared to God's.  Where I see a failure, He sees a beloved child.  Where I see a  mess, He sees an opportunity to infuse grace into my life, if I will only ask for it.

Today is: The Feast of St. Charles Borromeo
Finn is: cutting four new teeth still- Oy!
Gigi is: getting a hang of this eating thing
Mama is reading: Our Lady of Fatima by William Thomas Walsh