Learning from experience

 

Experience teaches slowly and at the cost of mistakes.
 James A. Froude      

I had an interesting conversation with my mother last night.  I had gone thru the years feeling that I couldn't compete with her in regard to having everything just right at home.  It seems that sometimes it looks like a tornado goes thru my home.  I can't remember seeing anything like that when I lived at home.  She always had things in order.  I have always thought that she felt I spend too much time running the kids around to their games, activities, etc., when I should have been at home "getting things done."  Well, last night she caught me off guard and I just listened without commenting.  She said that when she was younger, she shouldn't have worried so much about the house and keeping things in order. She added that she wished she would have spend more time with her kids.  Being the youngest and always craving their attention, I listened and finally understood that she only did what she thought was best for us at the time.  There is something to be said about experience being the best teacher, even if it does come slowly and with mistakes.