Her Birthday

I’ve been a parent for 1,095 days today. I’m afraid to inform you that this has single-handedly proven Malcolm Gladwell’s theorem of 10,000 hours devastatingly incorrect. I’m sitting at over 26,000 hours of parenting.

And I’m far from mastery.

But I have learned plenty from the experience.

At the end of it all, I’m not so sure mastery is something that we should be striving for anyway. When I think of my daughter and her exciting future, I don’t know if I want her to ever reach a place where she ‘finishes’ her passions.

Even after 1,095 days, I’ve not grown tired of watching her try something over and over again. I’ve not grown tired of her tenacity. By the grace of God - I’ve not grown tired of that stubborn drive that pushes her forward.

I fear we lose that along the way.

Life begins with the bold and endless motivation to try, fail, and discover. Mastery isn’t the point to a 3-year-old.

Regardless of if we are celebrating 1,095 days, 3,650 days, 18,250 days on this planet - let’s strive for the curiosity natural to a toddler.

Happy birthday, baby girl.

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March 7th, 2022