Julia Roberts waxed eloquent about motherhood of her two twins, Phineas and Hazel (age7) and their brother Henry (age 4.)  Article link.    She joyfully points out one of the life-lessons of motherhood that we discuss in Motherhood to Otherhood.

She points out that her kids are excited about everything.  The world is still new and intriguing.  “Look at the Tree!”  one will say from the backseat, and she’ll be reminded to bring herself back into the present moment and back to the pleasures of where she is, and who she is with. 

Beginner’s Mind is what it is sometimes called, and it is a worthwhile quest.  There is nothing more exciting than beginning.  There’s exciting new things to see and try, and people to meet or books to read.  The beginning grabs us and holds us.

What happens in “the middle”?  We get bored.  We don’t sustain our beginner’s mind.  We don’t continue to push for new beginnings within the endeavor or project. We don’t feed our childlike glee, curiosity and sense of wonderment within the process.

“Look at the tree!”  I’m sure your kids (now or in the past) provide you with all sorts of grounding observations, deep questions, excitment and awe.  When we want to sustain our pleasure in our daily tasks, or within a grueling undertaking – like sticking ot a diet, or writing a novel, or stripping the wood in your living room – we need to let that childlike joy, presence and curiosity dwell within us.