high standards
I write about high-standards as a reminder to myself to maintain that expectations of myself. Throughout yesterday, I caught myself easily making a decision based on my 'high-standards'. Big and small decisions. Here are a few:
(1) I put on a button up shirt that looked a little bit wrinkled. I know I will iron that shirt with starch and it only takes driving to work with a seatbelt on for that shirt to look wrinkled again. Looking at the mirror, I caught myself debating if I should just wear it without the ironing.
And right away, I said, nope, that's out of the question. I'm not the one to not iron because my seatbelt will undo the job. The wrinkles on an un-ironed shirt look much different than seatbelt wrinkles on an ironed shirt.
(2) Have you noticed sometimes you don't realize you're reciting Al-Fatiha until you get to the middle or even the end? I caught myself at Iyyaka na'budu and restarted.
And this time I really stretched out the words to help me refocus. Alhamdulillaaaaaaahi rabil alameeeeeeeeeen. The whole way through. My salah took a lot longer, but there were tears and a very peaceful heart at the end.
(3) Am I just hanging out with my kids or am I really connecting? You know... quality time. Kids go with the flow of their parents. That's all they know. And honestly, lately, even kids are super distracted. I caught myself just hanging out with them during the only few hours we get to be together after work and camp.
And I start looking for ways to connect with each. 'Hey, let's go play your fidget spinner on the kitchen floor.' It only took my initiation for the kid to start coming out with spinner tricks to try. My heart was full at the end of the night.
(1) I put on a button up shirt that looked a little bit wrinkled. I know I will iron that shirt with starch and it only takes driving to work with a seatbelt on for that shirt to look wrinkled again. Looking at the mirror, I caught myself debating if I should just wear it without the ironing.
And right away, I said, nope, that's out of the question. I'm not the one to not iron because my seatbelt will undo the job. The wrinkles on an un-ironed shirt look much different than seatbelt wrinkles on an ironed shirt.
(2) Have you noticed sometimes you don't realize you're reciting Al-Fatiha until you get to the middle or even the end? I caught myself at Iyyaka na'budu and restarted.
And this time I really stretched out the words to help me refocus. Alhamdulillaaaaaaahi rabil alameeeeeeeeeen. The whole way through. My salah took a lot longer, but there were tears and a very peaceful heart at the end.
(3) Am I just hanging out with my kids or am I really connecting? You know... quality time. Kids go with the flow of their parents. That's all they know. And honestly, lately, even kids are super distracted. I caught myself just hanging out with them during the only few hours we get to be together after work and camp.
And I start looking for ways to connect with each. 'Hey, let's go play your fidget spinner on the kitchen floor.' It only took my initiation for the kid to start coming out with spinner tricks to try. My heart was full at the end of the night.
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