My toddler is not his torn jeans

Being a human being, my toddler has the freedom to choose his own clothes from his drawer at the start of a day. Being a toddler he normally chooses the weirdest combinations and loves to wear his favourite worn clothes even if they are torn. And being a curious little person his clothes bear the testimony of his many adventures throughout the day.

So one day he was dressed in his beloved jeans, which is torn at the knees, and an old cotton Tee which had stains down the front. And while being dressed as he was, he came and sat by me while I was in “company”.

It gave me an amusing study into human nature.

There were some who saw his torn jeans and dismissed him, or rather me, as not quite “quite”. And there were some who saw the lively and carefree human being in the process of discovering the world around him.

There were some who smiled with contempt at my mothering skills. And there were some who smiled indulgently at the will full personality of my precious baby.

There are people who cannot see past your car, your house, your clothes and your possessions. They take a look at what you are wearing, which car you are driving and decide how much love or respect or even common courtesy they will give you.

Yet there are people who see past the physical garbs – the things that surround you, even the body that holds you! They look at the real YOU and their love or hate is based on who YOU are, not what you LOOK LIKE.

So for those who only saw his torn jeans, you are looking at the wrong thing dudes!

My toddler is not his jeans.

I am not my stuff.

You are not your car.

He is not his bank account.

She is not her vocation.

“I am so much more. I am who I am on the inside. I do amazing things, yet I am imperfect. I accomplish incredible feats, yet I make mistakes. I am a caring person, yet I forget about important things sometimes. I am proud of who I am, yet I make bad decisions at times. I am a human being, a mixed bag. I am just like you.

And I’m still learning… ” *

* from http://www.theminimalists.com/stuff/
inspiration for the title also comes from the above source.