“Those that danced were thought mad by those who could not hear the music.” ~ George Carlin

I often write about my little E and her successes and achievements.  Moments of brilliant sunshine filling our lives and yet each day my little Q spreads sunshine around us so that we might more easily bask in the glow of her progress.

It often starts with the phrase, “you did it!” which I hear on average at least 7 times a day.  And each time, I say, “no buddy, when we talk about ourselves, we say, ” I” did it.”

Everytime I hear the words, I smile for whatever achievement has elicited this moment of celebration; however small it might seem. Walking off a curb alone, making a magnet stick, finishing breakfast, building a tower of legos as tall as himself.  Little Q has several of these small celebratory moments every day and each time, it’s so pure I giggle inside.

My little Q dances when there is no music to be heard.  He celebrates his little successes throughout the day.

When did we all stop dancing? When did we become the ones who couldn’t hear the music? When did all the little things we accomplish during the day become so seemingly insignificant that we no longer celebrate them with the joy and appreciation they deserve.  Something newly learned, a small goal achieved, a moment of victory in our own minds.  While we may not, shout out “You did it!” you can smile quietly to yourself and acknowledge that moment of joy and satisfaction.

As of today, I stopped correcting Q when he shouts out “You did it!” I stopped short just after he switched on the fan in his room before bedtime. It was the first time he did this and it was all his.  So for this brief window in his life, I won’t let my grammar lessons take away from his moments and there are many other opportunities for me to teach him the difference between, I, you, mine and yours.

I started to hear the music again tonight, and I did a little jig as I closed the door to his room. The jig was for myself because I too had a “you did it!” moment in my ability to recognize that I didn’t always need to correct, that tonight in that moment, being a parent meant giving him his celebration.

I hope you too hear the music today. That you find several moments to shout in your head, “you did it!” By celebrating ourselves a little more, today and everyday can be ‘anewfavoriteday.’  Will you hear the music and dance today?