Teachable Moments

When you get them you have to seize the moment. I had such a moment today. As you will learn, we don’t have cable TV. I think it is full of crappy shows and way to expensive. Most of what we watch, we can see through the internet and we love our commercial free dvd and TV show service. You know the one. I am just not giving a shot out. Anyway, I got a dvd in the mail and began to  watching it today. The movie is, Gifted Hands,The Ben Carson Story. I can’t begin to do justice on that man’s life story here, so if you don’t know the name, Google him. I so wanted our son to watch, but I did not want to force it on him. I wanted him to take interest himself. Shortly after it stated, he did. He sat and watched the whole movie. I was very impressed in how caught up he was.

He made brief comments throughout the movie that were very appropriate for his age. When the movie was done, he was so happy with the ending. I was happy for him and his excitement of seeing a "brown man" like him, doing such great and wonderful things. Our son spoke about how Dr. Carson overcame his anger issues and how he applied himself to his studies

In that moment, it came to me to talk to him about "Tenacity". He came and sat on my lap and looked at me with his seven year old eyes and  said, "what's that". I said that is what Dr. Carson had to be successful at what he wanted in his life. I explained that the word means to be tenacious, to be determined or persistent, to stick to a plan for a long time. I went one to say that Dr. Carson worked hard for a long time, not just one test in school to achieve his goals, because he was tenacious and persistent. I added that Dr. Carson  was "Audacious". It was Dr. Carson's audacity that allowed him to be bold and take on something difficult. Dr. Carson did what many people did not think he would or could accomplish. 

I then asked our son, if he thinks he could be tenacious and audacious? Can he do what people may not think he can do? Could he make a plan and stick to it? Could he make a dream come true with his own hard work? Can he achieve what his mind may be telling him he can't? The challenge is on. 

I plan on keeping mindfulness on these topics. I am going to continue to ask him how he will have a tenacious day and does he have the audacity to succeed. 

I urge you get rent or buy the movie Gifted Hands. I think it is very important for "kids of color" to see it, but wonderful lessons for all kids of any school age or color. Some folks think kids don't see color. Perhaps, that is so if they are not one. That is a topic for another day. 

Good day and live each moment with tenacious audacity!