He Got That from Me

My son talks to himself and to inanimate objects.  He says things like, "Hey, book, you don't go there.  What are you doing there?  You are supposed to be upstairs, silly," in his toy room or "Come on, buddy, you can do it, just come here and get in your buckle" when he's fastening his seat belt.  I always chuckle because 1) it's stinking adorable and 2) he got that from me.  I talk to myself.  In the kitchen, in the car, in the grocery store - wherever.  All the time.

Charlie always asks to get a toy whenever we go to Target or Dillons or (God help us) Walmart.  But on our last trip to Target, upon entering the store, he said, "I have plenty of toys. I don't need anymore."  Which is verbatim what I say to him every time he asks to get a toy.  Only he doesn't say it just once.  No, no.  He delivers an entire MONOLOGUE out loud.  He says, "I have plenty of toys. I don't need anymore. I have lots of toys. I have a whole room just for toys called 'my toy room.' I don't need more toys because I have plenty of toys."  I swell, swell, swell with pride because he is finally understanding this principle, and I giggle, giggle, giggle at how my son is talking to himself as he walks through Target. Like mother, like son.

But as we walked, my bliss began to dissipate, because the conversation started to change.  He began to say, "Well, really, if I had one more toy, then I would have plenty.  I think I need one more toy.  Yes, Mommy, can I have one more toy?"

*Palm to forehead* You don't get it.  Here I was thinking you were the most content and enlightened 4-year-old to ever walk the aisles of Target, but really when you see all the new and shiny things, you go back to feeling discontented and entitled.

And then I realized...he got that from me.

I am the four-year-old and God is driving the cart.  I am saying, "God, if Rick can just get a job, I'll be happy.  God, if we could just go on vacation, I'll be happy.  God, if we can just get our debt paid off, I'll be happy.  God, if I could just have fill-in-the-blank."

Because the truth is that those things are NEVER going to make me happy.  They will NEVER be enough.  Because happiness isn't something you earn, or something you find, or something that happens to you, it's something you choose.  And you have to choose it every day.

So...how do I teach my son to be happy with what he has?  By first being happy with what I have and then living like it.