As often happens these days, Bub
and I were finishing up dinner last night together. HP had won a Bathtime
Bonanza with Mommy, so that left the two of us, and a conversation quite
typically bursting with WHY questions. I kept up for a while, then started to
peter out. He could sense it. So I flipped it. But I wasn’t expecting this…
Bub: Why is HP taking a bath,
Daddy?
Me: …
Bub: Not everything is a why
question, Daddy.
Me: That’s true, Bub. But why?
Why is not everything a why question?
Bub: I don’t know!
Me: Why don’t you know?
Bub: Ummm, because people are
just talking.
Me: Why are people just talking?
Bub: Because people like to talk.
Me: Why do people like to talk?
Bub: People like to talk to HP
and to Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Aaron.
Me: Why do people like to talk to
HP and Mommy and Daddy and Uncle Aaron?
Bub: Because we just talk about
stuff.
Me: Why do you talk about stuff?
Bub: Because it’s fun.
Me: Oh, good. Why is it fun?
Bub: Because I smile.
Me: Why do you smile?
Bub: Because I am happy.
Me: Oh…that’s…awesome. I’m glad
you’re happy. Are you happy because you pooped in the big boy potty?
Bub: Noooooo. I’m happy because I
LOVE myself.
Me: …
Bub: Are you crying, Daddy? Are
you sad?
Me: No, Bub. I’m really happy.
Bub: That’s silly, Daddy. Why are
you crying?
Me: Not everything’s a why
question, Bub.
We spend all this time selfishly
trying to get our kids to love us, wondering if they love us, encouraging and
training and even bribing them to love us. Sometimes it takes a two year-old to
remind us of the simplest things: Love yourself. Loving others is easy; it’s
loving yourself that’s the tricky part. Some people never love themselves,
while others fall truly, madly, deeply right off the bat. Bub might be one of
these.
But I think for most of us, it’s
a process. We finish our self’s sentences one day, then slash all of our self’s
tires the next. But if you don’t, it’s never too late to learn. If you’ve
forgotten, been too busy, or just flat-out ignored yourself, don’t worry. You
self’s number hasn’t changed. It’s right where you left it. And it’s an equal
opportunity employer. As Bub is fond of saying: “Don’t give up, Daddy. Try
again, Daddy.” Thanks, Bub. I’m still trying.