"Life is hard" according to my 8 year old!

“Life is hard” muttered my 8 year old from the back of the car as I drove her to school one morning. This girl is far too intuitive and emotionally intelligent! Unknowingly, she echoed the first line: “ Life is difficult”, from one of my fave books- The Road less travelled by M Scott Peck.

Thinking to myself about how hard life can be sometimes, I always remember Gratitude. Gratitude, and being thankful makes my life feel more relevant, helps me to LIVE in the PRESENT, appreciate and exude that appreciation and love, and in turn “hard” bits of life, won’t be that hard, or, at least not for long… we can simply think, feel, pray/ believe in better, be positive. By following actions, we will receive a life ‘less hard’… but does an easy life exist? Buddhists believe life can be hard, and that suffering exists, enters our lives but can be banished through wisdom and prayer/meditation. At the heart of any religion is this emphasis on being thankful and giving back (charity), and I’m sure we’ve all noticed times in our lives when we have ‘given back’, done a good deed, and maybe, not straight away, but in time something/ someone pops into our lives to help…

So anyhoo, in the car, nearly at school, I said; “You don’t really believe life is hard”, reminding her of all she had in her life- from the sweet smell of candyfloss she loves, grandma’s ackee and saltfish, Andre’s fried dumplings, having a family get together, birthday parties, playing ‘big sister’ to her baby cousins- to playing on her big trampoline in the garden, to all those special moments with family and friends. Reminding her of the importance of the things and people she has around her… “life is not hard for you madam,” I said, think of all the things you’re grateful for….she paused, I could tell her brain was ticking over….- “not so bad really?” I said. “But tell me, what is so hard?” guess what my daughter was referring to?, - she couldn’t do a maths problem at school!! Is that it!?? I was thinking. I told her, “baby- You CAN do it- GOD doesn’t give you anything u can’t handle there IS an answer- and you can find it”- - and in that moment, in my PJs, hair uncombed and resigned to yet another day spending hours job hunting (after being out of work for a long time), and receiving more email generated rejections ‘ I’m sorry but after close consideration, your application has been unsuccessful’…., I took a deep breath in and exhaled….and took my own advice…