Being Proud

How could I not love such a sweet and silly little boy?

I’ve taken a few days vacation and was blessed with having my little one from Thanksgiving night until Sunday night. What a joy and blessing he is! Even as you are teaching them they are teaching you valuable lessons as well.

I was showing him how to spell his name and when he was successful and finally did it all by himself he was so pleased.

Looking up at me, with such joy in his being, he asked, "Nammy, are you proud of me?"

And, of course, I was indeed very proud of him and let him know without a doubt at how proud I was.

This small question set off within me a few thoughts of my own about being proud. Aren’t we all still that little kid inside looking for the praise and pride of someone? Do we forget that we thrive on someone being proud of who and what we are? Sometimes we forget that others in our lives need this affirmation that indeed they are worthy of our praise no matter how small or large the feat that which has been accomplished.

I have been so guilty of not letting the people in my life, past and present, know that I am so proud of them and who they are. I realize it has been a real fault of mine in family and romantic relationships. Perhaps, my not being proud of myself, did not allow me to easily relay to others my pride in them. As I become more prideful of myself, I realize that I may never get the opportunity to tell everyone who I’ve been proud of, but in the present moment, which is all we truly have, I will be more mindful of doing just that!

What about you? Is there someone in your life that needs praise?

This reminds me of a joke I always loved which now has a totally new meaning to me:

One night, an old married couple was watching TV, as they did every night, when the wife looked at her husband and said,

"I’m so proud of you!"

The husband who was hard of hearing replied,

"I’m so tired of you too!"

Sometimes we don’t hear as well as we should and maybe we need to learn how to read lips!