Advice from Charlotte

Lately I've been reading aloud Charlotte's Web to the Girl and the Boy. This is actually my first time reading this book. It's been fun. The Boy gets bored, but the Girl is liking it. Anyway, a couple of nights ago, we were reading chapter 9 and something that Charlotte said struck me as very good advice, and definitely advice I need to try to follow.

Seriously, it's really good advice.


You ready? I know you're just dying to know what Charlotte said to Wilbur.


C'mon, stop pretending like you're not waiting on pins and needles.


Okay, here is.


What Charlotte said.


To Wilbur.


On Page 64.


Of Charlotte's Web.


By E.B. White.


Pictures by... Okay, I'll stop.


Wait, are you sure you can handle this? I mean, this is really, really good advice. It's deep and profound, and it's hard to follow.


If you think you're ready...


Charlotte said,



Never hurry and never worry.


Told ya it was hard. Maybe you weren't quite ready, after all, huh?

Or maybe you've read the book before and knew what I was going to say. Maybe I'm the only one that is struggling with this new little line of wisdom that has caused me to become keenly aware of the words, we have to hurry, and the numerous times a day that they fly through my lips and land directly in the ears of my young, impressionable children -- assuming my children are listening, that is... although even if they aren't, I'm sure those words find a path to those little impressionable sub-conciouses and lodge themselves there anyway.

Why do I say that so often?  Who says we have to hurry? The majority of the time, when I say those words, we aren't even on our way to something that begins at a certain time. We're just going to the library or something. Why do I feel the need to hurry, and in turn, worry about whatever it is that's making me feel hurried? Of course, there are all the things on the to-do list and the days just aren't long enough and all that stuff, but really, I think a lot of the hurrying and worrying is self-imposed and unnecessary.

It's time to slow down. Stop and smell the roses.

I'm making a goal to not say, we have to hurry, unless we really are running late on our way to somewhere that we have to be at a specific time. I'm going to try to stop worrying. What's the point? Worrying serves no real purpose, and half the time I don't think I'm even cognoscente of what, specifically, I'm worried about.

I'm a pretty laid-back person, but since becoming a mother, I've become a hurrier and a worrier. It's going to be a hard habit to break, but I'm going to try.