{Sometimes}

I will often send Lauren and Kylee outside to play while I am making dinner. It keeps them happy while I get things accomplished in the kitchen. Or maybe it just helps me get dinner made; no one is usually "happy!"

Someone usually ends up crying.
Someone usually gets covered in dirt.
Someone usually gets hurt.
Someone usually finds and plays with something they shouldn't.
Someone usually picks all the flowers and grapes off the vine.
Someone usually gets mad because their little sister is bugging them.
Someone usually gets upset because their big sister won't play with them.

But on this particular day.
There was no crying.
There was no dirt flying.
There was no pain, messing or picking.
There was no mad big sister.
There was no upset little sister.


There was only this:


One big sister who helped her little sister into the swing.
Then pushed her and pushed her.
For a long time.
Without complaining.
Even though she was tired of it and would have rather been playing.
She did it because it made her little sister happy.

And I learned:
Sometimes I have to do things I don't necessarily want to do.
Over and over again.
For a long time.
Without complaining.
Even though I am tired of it and would rather be doing something else.
I need to do it because it makes someone else happy.