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What My Five Day Old Daughter Knows & The Five Things She Has Taught Me So Far
Johanna Jasmine Payne was born on April 27th of this year at 7:58AM. So far, what wisdom has she gleaned in her five full days of life? Well:
- If she cries, someone will pick her up. Depending on what time of the day it is and who that someone of the moment is that happen to pick her up, she will either be fed, have her diaper changed, or get her hair brushed. Or some combination of the three.
- She can’t quite get her full hand in her mouth.
- She can get one finger in her nose.
I’m not sure just how monumental this knowledge is to Johanna, but if I were only five-days-old (and self-aware), I’d be pretty impressed with my accomplishments so far. Unfortunately, having self-awareness and 37 years and some months and days over Baby Johanna, I don’t have the luxury to pat myself on the back for mastering what little of the universe that can be reached lying on my back in a bassinet.
But in the five days she’s been in this world, I have learned at least a dozen priceless lessons. Here are just a five of the big ones:
- Miracles happen every day. Johanna’s arrival into the world was a blessing, and a real life example of the third time being the charm. And we aren’t completely in the clear yet, with the little girl working to clear a case of jaundice, which may be common, but the fact that it’s my baby dealing with it worries me personally. Other than that, seeing that little girl with a full head of hair and all ten fingers and ten toes wiggling (as she is mostly screaming) reminds me that I do believe in magic, miracles and the power of prayer.
- Sometimes conflicting thoughts are the only explanation. The sound of a screaming baby is both the most grating and most beautiful sound there is. Because of this it is very important to…
- Be open to suggestions. Johanna is a screaming baby, but my wife was against giving her a pacifier. The pediatricians didn’t put a pacifier in Johanna’s mouth because of her in her mother’s wishes, but gave us one just in case we decided to change our minds about the issue. I took the hint and quickly put the pacifier in the baby’s mouth before her mother could object.
- Time truly is precious. While I was itching for a chance to do some real work during recovery (and I had plenty of work that I could have gotten into), I would be lying if I didn’t say that I have enjoyed the time spent with just my wife and my new baby and I. Seeing that my stepson who was 8-years-old when his mother and I married is a few weeks from turning 17, I already know that time flies whether you are having fun or not. Might as well have fun with it.
- I can sleep wearing my wedding ring. We spent five days in the hospital due to my wife’s healing and Johanna’s working through the little illness. I have documented in the past about my love/hate relationship with wearing my wedding ring, but it only came off my hand once during the five day ordeal when I finally got to take a shower on day three. I have not told this to my wife who almost never takes off her wedding ring, and didn’t want to take it off to deliver the baby.
Beauty, Debate, & Why There Are Usually No Right Answers
Six Lesson Learned From The Firing Of Coach Bobby Petrino
What To Do In Order To Climb Higher
Who Are You More Successful Than?
I Am Struggling To Get ‘There’ As Well
I truly believe that if you are not seeing success in the efforts you are making, then you are doing something wrong. What often gets lost in any observation of what you are doing it what you are truly doing right.
This can result in a painful blow to your psyche if you are going through a long patch where seemingly nothing is going right.
I also believe that one of the most dangerous things you can possess is hope. It is the fuel that lifts an underdog to victory over the favorite. It is also a driver that will take you over a cliff without any warning but plenty of enthusiasm if you begin to believe a little too much in yourself.
More often than you may like, your road to success will lead you directly through a mountain pass of setbacks or a valley of insane conditions. Beyond that, you’ll probably find your way traveling through a long stretch of desert filled with miles of doubt and despair.
I hate having to be a downer, but this is a constant feeling for many of us who have been brave enough to put forth the effort to break away from the mundane and into the extraordinary. Stepping away from the crowd is hard, but it is also the easiest part in getting ‘there,’ wherever your ‘there’ happens to be.
I can’t tell you not to go on or not to give up. Only you know if your idea has run its course, or still has enough life to continue to put up a stand. I can tell you that you have the power to accomplish just about anything. Even if your current idea isn’t panning out it doesn’t mean that one of the dozens of other ideas you put on the shelf to pursue this one does not have a chance.
Maybe you needed to learn something from a few past failures to ensure the success of one of those shelved ideas. Maybe you needed to learn something from a few failures to ensure the success of the one you are pursuing right now.
As many times as I’ve been knocked down in both past and current projects, I still find a way to get on my feet, dust myself off and try something again. It might be foolhardy, but how many people were called fools before they proved the world wrong?
Look for me when you finally make it ‘there.’ I don’t intend to be too far behind.
Are 176 Million To One Odds The Best You Are Going To Get?
Indifferent Is The Enemy
A client that is always happy to see you and can’t sign enough contracts with you because they can’t get enough contact with you is wonderful. Rare, but wonderful.
A client that wants you to come in, get your job done, take their check, and never, ever have contact with them again is more common. But assuming they say out of your way and pay on time, they too can be wonderful.
Your true problem client is one that is indifferent to your work and your presence. They are not micromanaging you, but they are doing very little to help you help them. They may even be a hindrance due to their non-committal attitude and non-committal decision making.
Have any tips for getting commitments from the non-committal? Share away…
Paul Deen’s Simple Recipe Deemed Too Simple By Fans And Foes A Like