Every day I try to teach my children to appreciate all they have around them. Sometimes we literally list all the ways we are blessed, we did so just this morning!
We have a picture up on our wall of a little boy in the Congo, he’s “home” in a refugee camp. He sits amongst some rocks, holding an umbrella; my guess is it came from the photographer. We call him “the boy with the umbrella” simplistic I know, but simple works, especially with children.
So when my children fuss about eating all their dinner, about having to get up early on Saturday for a soccer game, about not getting some little trinket they saw at the store….all I have to do is say do you think the “boy with the umbrella” would like to eat that dinner, get up and play all morning in a safe environment, have even one toy that he could call his own? And then they smile and appreciate all they have and by now understand full well the lesson I’m trying to teach them.
I confess, I too remind myself of the “boy with the umbrella” when I’m feeling overwhelmed by work, life in general and remind myself of the endless blessings I have. If he could only know the impact he’s had in our family. Thank you “boy with the umbrella” we appreciate you!
If you want to help the children of the Congo, visit UNICEF and learn about the different ways you can make a difference: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/drcongo.html
Special thanks should go to the photographer who captured this image that means so much to my family, and hopefully now to you as well…so thank you Uriel Sinai for capturing this young boy.
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