Authentically Adele

The past week has been quite a rollercoaster for Dwayne and I as parents. Our little one, Ariah, has been going through a whirlwind of depressed emotions, crying her heart out every morning when it’s time to head to school. Things got so bad she stopped eating breakfast because she was too emotional(those who know Ariah know she loves her food, so this was major). She did not cry when going to school, but even on her way home and throughout the day. In a nutshell, we uncovered the source of her distress. She has been consumed by thoughts of how she’ll behave in class – asking repeat questions like “Will I behave? Will I sit well? Can I be kind?” “Will I do good listening?” All these have been swirling in her young mind.

Every day of last week had Ariah waking up with the same concerns in her heart. I had to get Dwayne to video call from work to offer encouragement every morning before we left for school. She’d cheer up momentarily, but the worry would return when the call ended.

The walk to school was no different – tears would flow as we reached the gate. I would scoop her up each time and whisper affirmations that her daddy had been teaching her – “You are brave, strong, and courageous. Jesus is with you.” – I would have to leave her at her class door, where she was still teary-eyed, this time with her cry more audible. Each day, I spoke to her teacher, and we would both pass on our thoughts of what was happening.

3 hours later, Ariah was all smiles when I picked her up from school. However, on our way home, her voice would tremble again as she asked, “Mummy, will I behave tomorrow?” It was evident that she was on the brink of an emotional breakdown.

I gently squeezed her hand and reassured her, “Ariah, my sweet child, let’s not worry about tomorrow. Let’s talk about today.” I proceeded to engage her with questions about her day: “How was school? Who did you play with? What did you learn? Did you have fun?”

But despite our conversation, she returned to the same pressing question: “Mummy, will I behave tomorrow and be a good girl?” Teaching a 3-year-old not to worry about tomorrow is a valuable lesson but not an easy one to teach. We can only face tomorrow when it arrives.

So, I explained to her, “Ariah, you cannot worry about tomorrow.”
Ariah: “Why, mummy?”
Mummy: “Because it is not helping you and causing unnecessary stress. Please try your best not to worry about tomorrow.”
Ariah: “But mummy, how do I stop thinking about tomorrow?”
I was silent momentarily, unsure how to answer my little girl. But within a few seconds, the Holy Spirit gave me words. I responded, “By focusing on today. Focus on what you’re doing right now. Also, Ariah, think about what you’ve achieved today. You made it through your school hours without tears. You were a well-behaved, good girl, and you should be proud of yourself for making it through today.”

I decided to share this with you today, knowing someone might need these exact words. Ariah’s experience serves as a reminder that worrying about a few hours ahead in your day can snowball into a crippling fear of what’s to come in the future. Worry is a relentless, infectious force that can take over your life if left unchecked. It starts small but can quickly consume your thoughts, turning you from worrying about hours into worrying about days, days into months.

Worrying doesn’t yield anything positive. So, I implore you: Don’t let tomorrow steal today’s joy. Tomorrow will bring its own challenges (as Matthew 6:25-34 reminds us and how God is there for us). Obsessing about what lies ahead will only bring you more stress and rob you of your accomplishments today.

Whenever you worry about what must be done tomorrow, pause and redirect your thoughts to the tasks at hand today. You can’t change the past, but what you do today will become your tomorrow’s past. Stay focused on the present; when tomorrow arrives, you’ll face it with a clearer mind and a lighter heart.

For some of us, the fact that we are still alive today is a great accomplishment. You’ve made it through today without breaking, giving in, or giving up. That, my friend, is a victory worth celebrating. Be proud of yourself for reaching this point, and have faith that tomorrow will take care of itself. Embrace today, and let go of tomorrow’s worries. You’ve got this!