For three days, we lost the television remote control.
Now don’t worry, we do have a television in a different room of the house but the lost remote is to the main set.
We searched: behind the couch, under the table, in the laundry baskets, near the toys. The remote was nowhere to be found and while each of us shared bitter words (no Daniel Tiger today? No Cupcake Wars?)…something magical began to happen.
It was quiet. We played more games after dinner. Books were read. The crutch of the television disappeared and we relied on each other for instant comfort. While we have nothing against our family’s occasional use of the television, the “break” gifted us with renewed energy to find other ways to connect.
A change in our routine brought newfound joy, gratitude, appreciation and love. Trust me, fighting and bickering didn’t cease…but the minor change provided some steps of growth for this burgeoning family.
There’s a well known Jewish saying, “If you change your place, you change your mazel.” Meaning if you change up some things, your luck might change too.
We found that remote, but I think some of that luck stuck around. The television may be on every once in a while, but the minor adjustment reminds us to bring out a puzzle, play a board game, bake some cookies, or just snuggle on the couch.
If we let it in, a little change can be a very good thing.
