'Creating Opportunity'

'Create the opportunity'  This phrase has been rattling around in my head for the past week and a half. As I sat with Owen's speech therapist in our weekly session last week we were practicing some signs and vowel sounds, when she said something that just struck me. She said that when working on Owen's speech development we need to 'create the opportunity' to use signs and words to describe our actions.

Makes perfect sense, right? Say we're eating dinner and he's obviously anxious and wants more... don't just give in. Ask him first while using the sign for 'more' and try to have him mimic your words or actions to 'create the opportunity' to exercises his skills and abilities. I guess in some sense we've been doing things like this for some time in our day to day with the kids. Example: when Owen might be interested in a specific toy or snack- we put it on the coffee table to make him use his muscles to stand. We have been doing things like this for Ashton since we first recognized his gross motor delay.. put the toy just out of reach so he has to work for it, only let him walk while hanging on to one hand instead of two while he's distracted, ect, ect.. I think all parents do this to some degree to nudge their children along as a way of nurturing their skills and abilities to their full potential .

It occurred to me that as adults we don't flinch at the though of maybe taking an extra minute to create an opportunity for our children, but when it comes to ourselves... we typically don't give that though a single moment of regard. We many times look over those moments that could be pivotal in creating opportunity for ourselves. Whether that opportunity be personal, professional or for pleasure... we need to remind ourselves to be consciously aware and willing to stop and hit the pause button to take that moment- create that moment. Carpe diem folks!

I'm not talking about getting a shower in while the kids are napping or loading the dishwasher while you talk to your Dad. That's multitasking... I'm talking about seizing those moments to nurture your own skills.  abilities and interests for personal gain or the greater good of mankind. As adults- we can't be too proud to set the bar a touch higher than we are comfortable with, to apply for a job that might be a little more than you think your resume qualifies you for, to have faith in God and the universe for the unknown, to know that even when things seem impossible they just might work out... and in the most surprising and wonderful ways.

I know that in some way, shape or form I was meant to have that phrase roll around in my head and on the tip of my consciousness for the last week. I don't claim to have any type of ESP, but as most of you have read in my previous blogs- I have faith in a master plan and that phrase was a piece that was suppose to mean something to me. The good news,  I picked it up! Have faith, have hope and have a minute to create an opportunity.

Love and Hugs to you all,

Sarah