Lessons from the Island of Sodor

My mom gave Henry this Yearbook of all the new Thomas trains that have come out in 2011.  She brought two—one for him and one for her—so that he could circle all the items he didn’t have and then she’d have something to work with at Christmas.  He carries his little Yearbook around everywhere. All. the. time.  

Inevitably, the wait in car pool line is a running dialogue of all the trains and outbuildings he doesn’t have.  Never mind that he literally has over a hundred trains.  Wooden ones.  Metal ones.  Lego ones.  

Every time he rambles off all of the trains he doesn’t have I tell him, “Henry, you are blessed. Instead of listing all the trains you don’t have, why don’t you list and circle the ones you do have?”  

His angry whine echoes my own heart, “But I don’t want to.  I want these.  I don’t have Murdoch or Flynn or Daisy or Diesel or Battery powered James or Jet Engine Thomas.”

“List your blessings.”

“NO!  I already have those trains.  I want to think about the trains I don’t have.”

“Well, there are kids with no toys.  And no moms and dads.  So think about that.”

“Did you know there is a Misty Island Rescue Center?  I don’t have the Misty Island Rescue Center.”

Clearly, we both are missing the mark.

And I really oughtta listen to my own advice.  While I need to advocate for the children without Moms and Dads, I’d be a fool to miss out on being a Mommy to the two kids who are here.  Now.

So while I can’t be with the one I love, honey, I’m gonna love the ones I’m with.