Sometimes all it takes is the innocent smile of a child to remind us what is important in life.
I was walking to my county commission meeting this morning sulking about how much I have to do at work and with my accounting final this week. I’m so busy from now to Sunday that I can’t even see past this weekend.
That is what was going through my mind as I was crossing the street to go to the courthouse. I crossed on a light that a kid on his bike has activated so we could both cross. He shined a smile at me as he breezed by on his bike.
With that smile, some things became clear. The kid is probably as busy as I am with school — only on a kid-sized scale. Yet it didn’t seem to be bothering him.
So, where do we as adults go wrong? Sure there are more pressures in the scope of things. And somebody took our recess away, making many of us disgruntled — including me. Yes, adults have real pressures. So do our kids. Their pressures — from a child’s point of view — are just as stressful. Think back and remember how stressful it was to be a child, a pre-teen and a teenager. Think about those issues. Yes, they were stressful.
But what that child reminded me of this morning, even though life has its pressures, it’s okay to smile. It’s okay to sing. It’s okay.
So, as a reminder to myself:
• My accounting final will get done. And I will do well. Even if I don’t do well, the sun will still come up the next day.
• My accounting paper will get done as well.
• The newspaper will roll off the presses even if there’s a ton to do. And it will roll off the presses with my stories in it.
• The weekend will come.
• The week will come and go as well.
Today I will laugh, enjoy myself and work hard. To the child riding his bicycle, I don’t know your name but you turned my day around with a simple smile. Thank you.
The Wandering Pigeon 
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