LESSONS FROM A FOUR YEAR OLD FREE SPIRIT

I took Sophie to a birthday party at Create (the preschool where I teach music, movement and drama and where I hold my Make Believe Theater Workshop) yesterday afternoon. She had so much fun hanging around with the kids. She was grinning from ear to ear, babbled to the kids, walked around the school and happily explored her environment, and clapped during the singing of Happy Birthday. I can't wait for her to go to school.

We had the usual birthday fare of pasta, hotdogs with marshmallows, chocolate ice cream. However, due to time constraints, there wasn't any more time to cut the rich, delectable chocolate birthday cake and distribute it amongst the kids. I watched in amusement as the children slowly trickled out of the school, but not without gazing longingly and wistfully at the cake. (The great thing about being a teacher is that you partake of all the spoils after dismissal.) That was until River came. River had been my student in theater last summer. At four years old, she was quite a character: frank, inquisitive, and an unapologetic go-getter. She marched up to the parents of the birthday celebrants (identical twins Justin and Julian) and indignantly asked, "Why didn't we eat the cake?" Mommy Maila laughed and said, "Oh here, I'll cut you a slice." She proceeded to get a paper plate. River raised her hand to stop her and said, "Wait. I have a container here." She then pulled out an empty tupperware from her bag and handed this to Mommy Maila. "You can put my cake in there." Mommy Maila then cut a generous slice for her and placed the cake in the container. With a nod of her head and a polite thank you, River sauntered off with the chocolate treasure in her bag. The little girl had gotten her cake.

We were all laughing at her apparent gall but I learned a thing or two from watching her:

1. Do not be afraid to ask for what you want. So many times we hesitate to go for what we want out of fear, pride, embarrassment, dahil diyahe tayo. Why not take the plunge and just try? There certainly isn't any harm in doing so. River wanted the cake, so she asked for it. It was that simple. Not only did she get what she wanted, but she charmed the socks off the person from whom she had asked it. Why can't we do the same?

2. Come prepared in case we actually get what we want. River had placed the plastic tupperware in her bag before even coming to the party. So when she asked for the cake before going home, she was darned ready. Same should be true for us. Like when we are entrusted a good job or position, we should have the necessary skills and prior experience that will allow us to succeed and perform well. Or when the right person comes along, our life and our heart should be in the state to fully receive and love this person. Too many times we are unhappy not because we didn't get what we want, but because we weren't prepared and ended up losing it.

So there. Gems of wisdom learned from an innocent four year old. Thanks River. May I have the balls to apply this to my own life.