Be the BEST

When my oldest son was in kindergarten, his teacher, Mrs. Saizon, taught the class this phrase:
To be the best that I can be the choice will always be up to me.

Every morning the kids would sit on the mat at the front of the classroom and recite those words.My chubby-cheeked 6-year-old stumbled over the sentence. But I thought it was clever and cute.

Now those words have become a motto for our family. Before my kids walk out the door in the morning, they call out the same phrase Mrs. Siazon taught to my oldest son. It’s a reminder to them…to me. To us all. That we are what we choose to be.

Today was kind of a rough day in the Summerill house--on the tail end of a rough weekend. It was one of those crap-shoot cluster of days that we all have now and then. Even though it was Monday morning, I felt utterly unprepared. I kind of wanted to lie in bed and do nothing. Ever feel that way?

I heard my oldest stirring downstairs, getting ready while I hibernated in my dark bedroom cave. I considered how I’d feel if I missed his morning send off statement. And then I sort of felt like a piece of crap.

Clothes on and teeth brushed, I barely made it in time to hug him before his junior high carpool came. Yeah, I’m up for mom of the year award. I know.

The horn honked.

Then my boy was running to the door. “Bye, Mom.”

“I love you,” I shouted, making up for my slow morning.

He looked back. “Luvyouto,” he mumbled, surprising me. Then he added. “To be the best that I can be the choice will always be up to me.”

His words helped me get up and get going today. They reminded me that every day I have a choice to be successful. To be the best. It’s always a choice.

It's Your choice.

Be the best that you can be.
luv, erin