Sunday, March 24, 2013

Art of Maturity


 "A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world all of us need both love and charity."   
Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn By Living


My own lightening bolt moment of maturity came last night.  It involved a toddler taking a scrub in the tub on a Saturday night, and a lizard (technically, a gecko, but they're all the same to me).  After my beloved two year old was all suds up, I noticed out of the corner of my eye Mr. Lizard trying to eek his way out of the tub unnoticed.

I hate lizards.  I fear snakes.  And, in my book, lizards are only one rung lower than snakes.  I usually shriek and scream and jump up and down and then make someone else get the lizard.  Lizards are not my friend.

But in this moment, my child was in the tub with the lizard!  I didn't want to scare him or get him all riled up.  So, how to proceed?  

Squelching my inner longing to freak, I told the Kiddo that Mommy was going to get a jar for the lizard.  Luckily my kitchen is right next to his bathroom.  I then hoisted my 37 week pregnant self up on the counter to reach our mason jars, grabbed one, grabbed the dustpan, and prayed the lizard hadn't gone back into the tub water.

He hadn't.

Which meant that now I really had to do this.  My son just sat and stared in amazement at his mommy with the jar and the dustpan.  Realizing how absurd this looked, I had a good laugh and then I wrangled that bad-boy lizard into my jar and topped it with the dustpan.  Me.  The squeamish one.

I was so astonished.

Now what?

Racing to the back door (also not far from the bathroom....thank God!), I managed to unlock it with my elbow (my hands were not letting go of that jar), and escorted the poor guy to his proper home outside.

Of course, then I raced back to the bathroom where the Kiddo and I conversed at length about the "wizard" in the "yewow daisies" for the remainder of bath-time.  I also got to reinforce that this is why we don't drink bath-water.  It's "disgwusting".  You never know what's been in your tub.

So...maturity reached?  

Well, let's see.  I refrained from thinking that I absolutely must kill the lizard, I was objective even in the face of seriously squeamish emotions, I realized that there must be some good in this little creature (do they at least eat mosquitos??), there is nothing more humbling than wrangling a creepy-crawly, and I believe it was charitable to put the dear fellow in the daisies and not just pitch him on the concrete.

Yes, indeed.  Maturity gained at the ripe old age of 30.  ;)


2 comments:

  1. Bwahahah! I can picture it. Made me laugh and I love the quote:)

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    1. Thanks Carrie! I was so sure that lizard was going to crawl on the jar instead of in the jar and end up crawling up my arm!! And Eleanor Roosevelt is one awesome lady. I think You Learn By Living should be required reading for 8th graders. ;)

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