How Do You Feel??

I heard something the other day that really resonated with me. After I heard it, I kept thinking about it and couldn't get it out of my mind. I feel it is important enough that I thought others may want to use it as food for thought.

The other day, I caught a glimpse of a segment of Oprah while I was folding clothes. She was interviewing an author that was unfamiliar to me, but one sentence she said jumped out from the t.v. and spoke to me in maximum volume.

HOW YOU LOOK AT A CHILD (OR ADULT) WHEN THEY ENTER THE ROOM SHOWS THEM HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM

That one sentence stripped me down to the core and showed me a side of myself that made me want to bow in shame. If there is truly a judgement day this must be what it will feel like.

How many times have my children walked in the door and I immediately review their appearance, correct them about some prior offense, question them about a decision that needed to be made, or immediately put them to work doing chores without even looking at them...REALLY LOOKING AT THEM.

What about my husband?? How many times has he walked in the door and I immediately direct my problems of the day on him or inform him of the things that needed to be done. Or even worse, directed my bad mood onto him as if it were his fault the minute he walked in the door....without even a hello.

Since that segment of Oprah the other day I have tried to make it a conscious effort to really SEE my family when they walk in the door. Before anything else they should SEE and KNOW that I LOVE them. That I am HAPPY to see them. That I TREASURE them above all things.

I want my children, my husband, and even my friends to know how I really FEEL about them the minute they see my face...