SOL Day 18 - Today's Word Is Goal

My soon to be 24 year old daughter came into my bedroom a few minutes ago. I thought she had gone to bed over an hour ago. She is a first year teacher and living with us while she pays off student loans. As an early riser, she often goes to bed around 9:00.

 I could tell from the way she was smiling that something was on her mind. She started to walk away, and then abruptly turned back to me. When I asked her what was wrong, she tried to say nothing. Then her eyes welled up.

 I scooted over in bed, flung the covers over, and talked her into getting in. She made a half-hearted attempt at saying nothing was wrong, but finally got to the point. A few minutes earlier she asked her dad a question, and he didn't give her the response she was looking for. She wanted to know if he ever felt like he had achieved the goal he set for himself, and now had nothing to look forward to.

 I love my husband, but deep conversations about your feelings are not in his wheelhouse. She and I had a nice talk about not all goals needing to be big goals - moving out, getting married, vacations, etc. Sometimes we need to be sure we are living the daily goals of being who we feel we are called to be.

 One of my favorite things about being a mom to my three adult children is that they teach me more than I teach them. 

 Target, plan, purpose...today's word is goal.

Comments

  1. AndreaMarch 18, 2018 at 8:26 PM

    Goals are so important in life. From the daily checklists we make ourselves to long-term goals. Meeting (or changing) them give us purpose and meaning. I'm glad your daughter had someone to talk to about this. I wish her luck in her first year of teaching.

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  2. Glenda FunkMarch 18, 2018 at 9:00 PM

    I love the response you gave your daughter. Seems to me we place too much emphasis on the big goals sometimes instead of focusing on the smaller ones that lead us to the big goals. We're taught to set lofty goals, like being a Yankee, and as a society would do well to value other goals more. It's tough for young people who value education and choose teaching as a path and then realize it's a rocky path to the goals of the American dream.

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