On Gratitude and Learning

One recent day
I sang Five Green Speckled Frogs 

over and over again
while crouched in front of the toilet
where my young granddaughter was perched
hoping

trying

believing 

she would pee

yes

I sang Five Green Speckled Frogs 

with hand motions as well

many times in a row
at her insistence 
and perhaps a bit of mine
as I tried to lighten and normalize 
this new learning

while in a nearby room
I heard her young sister crawling about
knocking things over
chattering and cooing

and was immediately thankful 

for the other caregiver in the house

dear Poppa will tend to the littlest one 

I need not worry about her

just keep on singing

and thinking

isn't it extraordinary

a miracle 

such a luxury

to be proficient at

using the bathroom

somewhere along the way

I started taking it for granted

why not feel 

the magic and wonder 

each day 

celebrate

the sheer amazing learning

the accomplishment

the good skill

of so many of us

despite so many obstacles

yes

again and again we are reminded

this is such a divisive time

with passionate zealous strident adults 

believing so many different truths

often in direct opposition to one another

yet

where is 

grace and delight

about what we have in common

we are toilet-trained

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It's Tuesday and I am participating in the

 Slice of Life.  

Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for nurturing teacher-writers!

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P.S. Just in case you need the words to Five Little Speckled Frogs - hahaha

Five little speckled frogs

Sitting on a speckled log

Eating some most delicious bugs - yum! yum!

One jumps into the pool

Where it is nice and cool

Now there are four green speckled frogs...

[Repeat lyrics with descending number of frogs - four, three, two, one, until you have no green speckled frogs...]