Innovation and Power Meet Passion
Mary Kathryn Johnson
  • Home
  • Mary's Blog
  • Books
    • Say Bump
    • The Ones We Carry
  • Writers I Follow
  • About
  • Contact

It Comes in Waves

7/13/2012

7 Comments

 
My Boys at Sunset
You probably don't see it, because neither do I.  It's just beyond the horizon, just out of sight. That experience we've never had before...do we really want to see it before it gets here?  Do we want to be forewarned in time to prepare?

Both my sons (as well as their parents) will have that experience this fall.  One is going to high school, and the other is starting middle school.  Just like everything else in life, there are benefits and drawbacks to knowing, or not knowing what's coming.

My high schooler has no idea what his new adventure will bring, because he has no friends already traveling the path to guide him.  The campus is huge, and scary, just like the seniors.  Luckily, he will play trumpet in Marching Band, so he is being exposed to the campus and some of it's inhabitants before school starts in preparation for the upcoming Football season.  He is still very nervous. 

My middle schooler has an even better idea what awaits.  You see, his big brother had already been to his middle school, and we have toured the campus throughout three years of Orientations, Back to School Nights, Open Houses and Band Concerts.  The Music Director already has a spot for him in the Trombone section, and his Principal was the Vice Principal in his Elementary School until 3 years ago.  He is still scared.

Inherent personality probably plays the largest part in how we anticipate a new adventure or a fork in the road in our current one.  My oldest is a "glass half full" kind of guy, so he is a little more optimistic about what awaits him, and being tall for his age, he feels a little more secure in the way he will carry himself at the start of this new journey.  My youngest is a "glass half empty" kind of guy, so even though he knows most of what awaits him, he is concentrating on what he doesn't know, and since this pessimism creates some difficulties when making new friends, those fears are maximized.

Sometimes it's better not knowing what awaits, because we have an opportunity to bring a more positive outlook to new situations, however, the blind polly-anna may be blind-sided.  Sometimes it's worse knowing what's around a corner, because we spend time anxiously anticipating the negatives, but the pessimist can also be pleasantly surprised when it's not so bad after all.

Even a detour in the road on the way to the grocery store can bring about these optimistic or pessimistic attitudes, so you don't need offspring to relate.

The picture above shows us watching the sunset last night, the three of us and the pups (poor dad is home working) with the entire beach to ourselves.  At that moment, I knew we would all handle whatever happens...just like the waves.

Which do you prefer, knowing what awaits, or taking it as it comes?

Mary Kathryn Johnson
Author ~ Entrepreneur ~ Mom

@SayBumpandTweet
MommyLoves to Chat!
Everything MommyLoves
Say Bump and Take a Left


7 Comments
Jack Durish link
7/13/2012 07:47:05 am

"Anticipation" is not the same as foreknowledge but it can be devastating. I hated school. I "anticipated' that it would be better than grade school. It wasn't. So I "anticipated" high school and was again disappointed. College was the worst. Law school was little more than an endurance test. I wonder if someone had warned me (given me some foreknowledge) if I would have been as wise as Louis L'Amour and quit while I was ahead. It was, as he said so well, getting in the way of my education.

Reply
Mary Kathryn Johnson link
7/13/2012 08:31:54 am

I am so glad you are now able to not only do something you love, but also do something at which you are so skilled, Jack! You are right about the definitions and distinctions, and there's a 50/50 chance my youngest will positively anticipate those experiences of which he has foreknowledge.

Thanks again for the visit!

Reply
Caleb Pirtle link
7/13/2012 09:41:32 pm

I never know what awaits and prefer it that way. I've spent my life taking every fork in the road I find. Don't know what I've missed. I don't care. I have no regrets. The enjoyment of life is stumbling across the unexpected, then saying to yourself, "What do I do with it?" Answering that question is where the adventure begins.

Reply
Mary Kathryn Johnson link
7/14/2012 03:07:47 am

That is most certainly the beginning of the adventure, Caleb! I'm 50/50 - I like having the order in life, where I know the sun will rise tomorrow, and I have another chance to maximize some of my mistakes and minimize others, and I like to "Bloom where I'm planted." I also love knowing I can read more of your adventures!

Reply
Pam Flowers link
7/16/2012 03:32:34 am

Thanks for another wonderful post, Mary. I know that I live my life with no regrets and try not to stress about what lurks around the corners waiting to ambush me! I know from experience that no matter what comes I've got it covered because I have handled my past without breaking! You always make me think. :-)

Reply
Mary Kathryn Johnson link
7/17/2012 06:58:49 am

Thanks for visiting and commenting, Pam! Since you have a calm about you when dealing with new situations, I know you will help your girls stay as calm as possible when anticipating theirs. Here's to another fun school year ahead...

Reply
Newspaper Advertising Agencies in Chennai link
8/6/2019 02:36:04 am

Eumaxindia - We are INS accredited newspaper advertising agency of Chennai helping you to book all kind of Advertisement Online for all leading Newspapers of Chennai.

Reply



Leave a Reply.


    Download my Most Powerful Tool to Get it ALL Done as a Parent & Author!

    Author

    Hi, I'm Mary, a woman constantly working toward becoming a Master of herself and all things named Duane, Evan, Riley, Seren, Linus and Katie ~ that's why it's so messy around here.


    Archives

    January 2016
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    9 11
    Choices
    Communication
    Creativity
    Dad
    Do What You Love
    Dream
    Dust
    Empower
    Entrepreneur
    Every Mom
    Follow Your Bliss
    Grandparents
    Growing Up
    Growth
    Help Me Self Publish
    Holiday
    Learning From Mistakes
    Loss
    Love
    Mary Kathryn Johnson
    Michelangelo
    Mommyloves
    Mompreneur
    Mother Theresa
    Omelets
    Parenting
    Political Correctness
    Politics
    Regret
    Rhythm
    Say Bump And Take A Left
    Search Engine Optimization
    Selfish
    Self Publish
    September 11
    Summer Vacation
    Take Action
    Therapy
    Tragedy
    Triberr
    Twitter
    Wordless Wednesday
    Writing

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.