Perspective

A healthy dose of perspective is always nice.

Tristan goes to physical therapy twice a month for his neck, and he's only just starting to show some progress.  After his most recent appointment, I was sitting in the lobby giving him a bottle, and mourning the fact that at 3 months old, he still won't hold up his head.  He doesn't even attempt to pick it up during  tummy time, no matter how I try to entice him.  Then, something rammed into my foot.

I looked up and saw a 6 year old girl pushing a walker, her ankles braced.  She must have only weighed 40 lbs, and was skinny as a rail.  I heard her mom call from the scheduling desk to be careful because of the baby, but I could see the little girl wasn't very alert.  Then another family walked into the lobby, their little boy in a wheel chair, his legs completely braced.  And I realized just how blessed I am.  I had forgotten what pediatric physical therapy mainly deals with.  It's not just little stubborn babies with torticollis.  It's for children with much more severe problems.  I felt very silly for ever complaining.

So when Nick and I went to Walmart for our groceries and he pointed out a tiny little girl sitting up in the shopping cart, I didn't get jealous.  The parents walked up to us and Nick told them what a cute little girl they had, and it was neat she could already sit up.  She was smaller than Tristan, but 5 months old.  He'll get there eventually.  It is going to be harder for him because he does have a neck problem, but I'm just going to keep pushing him.  I bought him a couple of toys as incentive, and I think it's helping.  We'll see what happens.  Just remember, no matter how bad things get, someone always is worse off than you.  Be grateful for what you are given, and always try to give back.