This meditation was based on a story a foster parent shared with me. Given our focus this week, it seemed the perfect week to include this one from the "Celebrations" section. Creating Joy
He needs celebrations, earned or not. I finally understand that I need to spend joy on her rather than save it, saving it like a miser for a later, bigger reward. It began when he came home one afternoon and announced that at school he found it it was National Pickle Day. So we had an impromptu dinner celebration of pickles. He loved it! His delight was all I needed for a cue. Since then we have celebrated the National Cowboy Museum, the invention of elastic, the opening night of High School Musical 3...anything I could concoct. Only rarely did I get a genuine smile out of him in the beginning. I think the turning point was the night we celebrated the invention of the ice cream maker. We had a buffet dessert with choices of ice cream and every kid of topping I could father. Then today he bounded off the bus and came in grinning from ear to ear. "I have a celebration for this week... You wanna guess? Can I plan it?" He was so excited I could barely believe it. I don't care if it is the invention of the pooper-scooper. I'm celebrating ! He has learned to create his own joy. Thank you. Thank you.
He needs celebrations, earned or not. I finally understand that I need to spend joy on her rather than save it, saving it like a miser for a later, bigger reward. It began when he came home one afternoon and announced that at school he found it it was National Pickle Day. So we had an impromptu dinner celebration of pickles. He loved it! His delight was all I needed for a cue. Since then we have celebrated the National Cowboy Museum, the invention of elastic, the opening night of High School Musical 3...anything I could concoct. Only rarely did I get a genuine smile out of him in the beginning. I think the turning point was the night we celebrated the invention of the ice cream maker. We had a buffet dessert with choices of ice cream and every kid of topping I could father. Then today he bounded off the bus and came in grinning from ear to ear. "I have a celebration for this week... You wanna guess? Can I plan it?" He was so excited I could barely believe it. I don't care if it is the invention of the pooper-scooper. I'm celebrating ! He has learned to create his own joy. Thank you. Thank you.
Excerpted from "The Caring Heart Speaks: Meditations for foster, kinship, and adoptive parents" by Gail Underwood Parker Artwork by Anna Parker David from the book cover.
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