Song of the Zebra

Yes, today's life lesson involves zebras. Have you ever really seen a Zebra? They're gorgeous, striking with their black and white. They're bold, bright and beautiful. And my 4 year old loves them.

But here's the thing about Zebras. Many people mistakenly think of them in terms of a horse, with wild stripes. That's not exactly correct. A zebra is more like a donkey. They're smaller than horses. They are very difficult to train. But what has made them my lesson for the day is the way they sound. Imagine it. What would a cross between a donkey and a horse sound like? Let me tell you. It's kinda like a he-haw on Prozac. Louder and faster than you would imagine. It's especially irritating in the voice of a little 4 year old, galloping around the house in the loudest pair of clogs she owns. It is even better waking up to it at 6:30 in the morning. Three weeks in a row....

So, zebras are teaching me patience with my child, forbearance, self control when I want to scream at the noise. Most of all the Zebra phase is teaching me to stop. Ignore how completely obnoxious it is. Think about how blessed I am that my daughter is healthy. That she is creative. That she is active. And that she hasn't asked for a Barbie or a Bratz doll. She doesn't want makeup and boyfriends yet. All she wants is more Zebras...