Stop Train Stop!

This post is inspired by a little book I read to Jackie.  It couldn't have come at a better time.

Thomas was tired of having to make stops throughout his day, and thought it would be easier if he could just go from beginning to end without stopping.

After completing the journey, something was wrong because the passengers weren't happy and neither was Thomas.  He missed out on the boy who always waved in Knapford, the friendly cow that mooed in Elsbridge, and the people getting on and off the train cars in beautiful Hackenbeck.

From then on, Thomas traveled not too fast and not too slow, and stopped at every station.

I know this book is an early reader intended to give children a fun and predictable plot with simple vocabulary, but of course, I had to read into it a little further.

Some days things feel really hard going from station to station, and we search for ways to make it easier.  We look for shortcuts or sympathy.  There are days we wanna scream, "My name is Wes and I'm not in this mess!!" (sorry to any actual Weses out there)

But Thomas reminded me that the journey is living for each moment, whether exciting or ordinary, pleasurable or painful.  I needed this little inspiration today, and I will try and remember that when things get challenging, if we got to bypass it all, it wouldn't be the same ride in the end.

Here are some pictures from Jackie's 3rd birthday celebration.  Have a great day, friends!