Just People

The other night, while waiting for the 10 o'clock news to come on, I was reading a book while Mike watched the last few minutes of 'America's Got Talent.'  Before too long though, I began to ignore my book and my attention was solely focused on the magician pulling a lifesaver out of his throat with dental floss.  It really was quite spectacular, but it was the final performance of the evening that really left me pondering.  It was a ten year old girl who sang with an AMAZING opera-style voice.

Watching this performance came on the heels of a recent meeting I sat in with a mother/baby the same age as Drew.  Drew was eating dry cereal and had two Hot Wheel cars to entertain him.  This other little boy had, ABC flashcards, magnetic letters on a magnet board, and I watched his mother print his name for him on a Magna-doodle.  My first instinct was of course...slight guilt.

Should Drew already know letter recognition?
Should Drew already recognize his name spelled out?
Should Drew be able to fully sing the ABC's?

And then I laughed inside? Who am I kidding? Though Joshua can recognize his name spelled and sing his ABC's he still has a ways to go to recognize all the alphabet letters.
One child at a time please.

But, with that experience followed shortly by the 'America's Got Talent' performance. I recalled a quote that President Gordon B. Hinckley gave quoting somebody else years ago.  And it is so true:

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around and shouting that he has been robbed. The fact of the matter is that most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is like an old time rail journey...delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."

Jenkins Lloyd Jones

My kids for example are just kids.  Albeit,
Great ones.
Talented ones.
Unique ones.
And though they certainly have their share of dreams, goals, aspirations and potential,

They may never be academic geniuses or 'America's Got Talent' performers.
And shock, gasp, they may one day grow up to be 'just people'.

But I am and forever will be,
A proud mother.