My Journey to a Few Days Off

 

 

One of the things that I enjoy a lot (other than good food) is to go to sleep when I am completely exhausted. I like when I go to bed so sleepy that in a few seconds I am snoring (apparently I do).

That was the case this weekend. I was so busy last week that by Friday I looked like a zombie. For more than two years, my daughter has pretty much dictated my schedule (especially in terms of the amount of sleep I get daily), but this last week it was the opposite. Since I commute daily to outside of the city, I woke up very early each morning, dropped my daughter at the daycare and immediately after proceeded to my final destination.

When I went to pick her up at the daycare, they told me that Skylar was sleepy all day long. Needless to say that by Friday, my daughter and I were in the same situation. The only time we did not sleep was when we attended church on Sunday. We slept every other time during the weekend.  My wife could not believe the number of hours we spent sleeping. She said: “You and your daughter are really from Burundi”. She thinks that Burundi people sleep a lot (she is from Rwanda). I think it’s funny.

Guess what, at 3 O’clock in the morning on Monday, my daughter and I were fully awake and with no intention of going back to sleep.  So, as it has been her habit, she asked me to play her favourite song. She has a passion for gospel music. So I did. By 4.30, we went back to sleep. Guess what woke me up at 7 am? I heard my daughter in the other room shouting “amen!” I thought she was at church or something. I guess the gospel music is playing a big part in this, what do you think? She is only two years old by the way.

I think that we are so lucky that our daughter listens to that kind of information at her early age. You could see her sing those songs with her eyes closed. It’s so good to see. No wonder she is always in a good mood. Last week, we were in the train when a lady came to sit near to us.  Skylar looked at her but the lady was not looking at us. My daughter decided to grab her attention by tapping on her shoulder. The lady turned to see who touched her, and when she saw it was my daughter, Skylar just offered her a high five. The lady could not stop laughing for the entire trip. Skylar made her day!

In that moment, I was reminded that that it doesn’t take too much to inspire or positively impact other people. A smile, a high five or a simple hello could be more than enough to bring light into somebody else’s life. Granted, when it comes from a two year old, it can have more impact, still, we can do it too. Next time we meet, don’t be surprised if I give you a high five. I learned it from my daughter.

Moral of the story? Do you want to make people around you laugh? Just call me and I will ask my daughter to give you a high five.

Always a pleasure

 

Patrick

The Journeyman