Some time ago, I was getting the kids ready for bed … we were all happy but were also pretty tired after what had been a very long Saturday of playing very hard for most of the day. We were running very late for bedtime, so after brushing their teeth and getting their pjs on, I put the boys into bed and was ready to run out so they could settle down as soon as possible. I didn’t want them to sleep too late…. Plus I was very ready for some me time and of course some hubby time too.

So I skipped some parts of our usual bedtime routine, just trying to quickly get them into bed. Got them all tucked in, turned out the lights, said a quick prayer and was just about to dash out when my then 19month old started saying, first quietly, and then really really loud: “TATU YOD…EES”!!! I had no idea what this meant. My older son, a preschooler, will often help translate, but he was of no help that night (too tired maybe:)?). I wanted to leave but my toddler was insistent, so I stayed and kept asking, “what do you want little guy”? He said the same phrase again and again and so I thought about it some more…

Hmm… Ok.. I knew “Ees” meant “Please” in his language:), and “Tatu” meant “Thank you”. So really, all I had to figure out was the “Yod” part…. And then the light bulb went off… I finally got it! He was saying “Thank you Lord, Please”!:)!

Here’s the background…lol… Our typical bedtime routine at the time included a story, a song or two, a simple prayer and then of course lots of hugs and kisses. A little while prior to that night, I had started including some choruses I sang as a child in our bedtime songs (as opposed to mainstream nursery rhymes, lullabies etc – which we definitely enjoy regularly as well!)… One of my favorites is this one… “Thank you thank you lord”. I hadn’t realized that song meant so much to him:)! So yes, he didn’t want me to leave without singing what had become our regular bedtime song… I was just so touched, nothing else mattered anymore, and we all sat down and sang again and again and again. Prior to that, both boys always seemed to enjoy all the songs we sang, and my then 3.5yr old preschooler and I would sing along to the more familiar ones… but my toddler had never joined in singing “Tatu Yod” until that night. So his asking to sing, and then going on to sing the song so wholeheartedly with us was such a pleasant surprise. I didn’t even realize he could sing the song (Now I definitely DO…I am reminded every day:))!

After I finally left their room, I smiled and started thinking more about what had just happened. It was yet another reminder for me to always try to be careful with my words and actions – not only with children, but with everyone I ever come in contact with. While some people may freely express themselves to others when they have something on their minds, others may not. We are all so different, with varying personalities…and our life experiences also help shape our personalities. And that’s ok!

But yes, sometimes the things we say or do affect people positively and we may not realize it, but on the other hand, sometimes the things we say or do actually affect people negatively and we have absolutely no idea. I am hoping and praying that I’ll always have the wisdom and discretion to realize when my words or actions have a negative effect on people (even when they say nothing about it), so I can stop doing such….Because people won’t always tell you when you unintentionally hurt them…just as they won’t always immediately (or ever) tell you when you please them.

So friends, I wanted to leave you with this reminder (just like I keep reminding myself)… if you are trying to do the right thing, trying to be good, kind and considerate in whatever way… please, keep on doing it!!! Even if nobody comments on your actions. Just keep doing your thing and know that you are affecting lives positively anyway – whether in a big or in a little way. Please don’t worry about whether or not your words and actions seem to be appreciated… Even though yes, of course, it naturally feels good to be appreciated (so please remember to appreciate the people in your life regularly!)…please, try not to let appreciation be what drives you to do good. Do try to be the best you can be at all times and to all people, with God’s help.

Don’t forget that whenever we are good to a person (no matter who they are, where they are from or how old they are), we are being good to God. And as you may already know, God always appreciates our goodness, kind words and kind deeds. I’m also reminded to try my best to be patient with people, young and old. We all speak the same language on one level, but different languages on so many other levels. Sometimes a person might be trying to tell you something or reach out to you one way or another but you really don’t understand their “language” (like I didn’t immediately understand my toddler that night). What’s more, people’s actions and words may sometimes come out misunderstood. If we do not take the time to patiently figure out what a person is trying to say to us, we may miss out on understanding another (often important) part of their personality…we may also miss out on developing an even better relationship with them. I am hoping that we all continually learn to be patient, wise and sensitive too… so we can understand when people are trying to communicate with us, and hopefully figure out what they are saying to us, even if they are speaking a different language on some level.

Here are the lyrics to the very very simple but sweet song if anyone is interested:

“Thank you Thank you Lord; Thank you Lord, Thank you Lord, For everything you have done….” ( See More Great Verses, Songs, Quotes, etc)

By the way, today, November 9, 2009, is the official launch date of Jolly Notes. It is also my Dad’s birthday..Happy Birthday Dad!:)!.

Much Love & Blessings,

Bomi Jolly

Don’t go yet:)! I think you’ll also enjoy:
- Lady in the Blue Jacket
- Got Your Shot?
- I’m wearing mine right now