my first-grade son is sitting down at our kitchen table eating a burnt toaster
our kitchen table eating a burnt toaster
our kitchen table eating a burnt toaster waffle when he looks up at me and says
waffle when he looks up at me and says
waffle when he looks up at me and says mom I don’t want to go to school today
mom I don’t want to go to school today
mom I don’t want to go to school today and I said why not don’t you want to see
and I said why not don’t you want to see
and I said why not don’t you want to see all your friends and he said well what
all your friends and he said well what
all your friends and he said well what if none of them were there and I said
if none of them were there and I said
if none of them were there and I said then you’ll get to meet new friends and
then you’ll get to meet new friends and
then you’ll get to meet new friends and he said well what if no one’s there and
he said well what if no one’s there and
he said well what if no one’s there and I said then you and your teacher are
I said then you and your teacher are
I said then you and your teacher are gonna have an amazing day and he said
gonna have an amazing day and he said
gonna have an amazing day and he said well what if she’s not there and I said
well what if she’s not there and I said
well what if she’s not there and I said well then you’ll get to meet a new sub
well then you’ll get to meet a new sub
well then you’ll get to meet a new sub and he said well what if and I stopped
and he said well what if and I stopped
and he said well what if and I stopped him and I say what if your teacher has
him and I say what if your teacher has
him and I say what if your teacher has rented a blue rocketship for the day and
rented a blue rocketship for the day and
rented a blue rocketship for the day and you guys are all going to take a field
you guys are all going to take a field
you guys are all going to take a field trip to the moon and you are going to
trip to the moon and you are going to
trip to the moon and you are going to get to meet a class of Martians and come
get to meet a class of Martians and come
get to meet a class of Martians and come back with friends that are completely
back with friends that are completely
back with friends that are completely out of this world and he looks at me in
out of this world and he looks at me in
out of this world and he looks at me in silence and I say oh I thought we were
silence and I say oh I thought we were
silence and I say oh I thought we were playing the what if game this gives me
playing the what if game this gives me
playing the what if game this gives me one of those teachable moments in
one of those teachable moments in
one of those teachable moments in parenting where I can explain
parenting where I can explain
parenting where I can explain statistical probability to my
statistical probability to my
statistical probability to my six-year-old and go through that there
six-year-old and go through that there
six-year-old and go through that there is just as likely for things to go
is just as likely for things to go
is just as likely for things to go drastically right as there are for
drastically right as there are for
drastically right as there are for things to go colossally wrong but you
things to go colossally wrong but you
things to go colossally wrong but you are going to miss all of the amazing
are going to miss all of the amazing
are going to miss all of the amazing moments in your day if you continue to
moments in your day if you continue to
moments in your day if you continue to focus on the wrong
focus on the wrong
focus on the wrong what is so I put him on the school bus
what is so I put him on the school bus
what is so I put him on the school bus and he goes off to school and I come
and he goes off to school and I come
and he goes off to school and I come back in and I sit down at my kitchen
back in and I sit down at my kitchen
back in and I sit down at my kitchen table and I’m reflecting on my morning
table and I’m reflecting on my morning
table and I’m reflecting on my morning and I think the most concerning thing
and I think the most concerning thing
and I think the most concerning thing about this story is not that it was 803
about this story is not that it was 803
about this story is not that it was 803 and the bus comes at 8:05 it’s not that
and the bus comes at 8:05 it’s not that
and the bus comes at 8:05 it’s not that I burned the toaster waffle the most
I burned the toaster waffle the most
I burned the toaster waffle the most concerning thing is I thought oh my
concerning thing is I thought oh my
concerning thing is I thought oh my goodness he sounds just like me because
goodness he sounds just like me because
goodness he sounds just like me because the what-if game isn’t just a game that
the what-if game isn’t just a game that
the what-if game isn’t just a game that six-year-olds play we all play it we’ve
six-year-olds play we all play it we’ve
six-year-olds play we all play it we’ve filter our choices through a series of
filter our choices through a series of
filter our choices through a series of ifs in fact life is comprised
ifs in fact life is comprised
ifs in fact life is comprised of if the frontal lobe of our brain
of if the frontal lobe of our brain
of if the frontal lobe of our brain allows us to create these scenarios
allows us to create these scenarios
allows us to create these scenarios complex thinking allowing us to plan and
complex thinking allowing us to plan and
complex thinking allowing us to plan and problem-solve but what if we’re playing
problem-solve but what if we’re playing
problem-solve but what if we’re playing the game wrong we ask ourselves what if
the game wrong we ask ourselves what if
the game wrong we ask ourselves what if I get fired what if I drop the ball what
I get fired what if I drop the ball what
I get fired what if I drop the ball what if I fail this test what if he doesn’t
if I fail this test what if he doesn’t
if I fail this test what if he doesn’t really love me what if they never
really love me what if they never
really love me what if they never forgive me
forgive me
forgive me and these scenarios they take us to a
and these scenarios they take us to a
and these scenarios they take us to a dangerous place of worry and fear and
dangerous place of worry and fear and
dangerous place of worry and fear and that leads us to self-preservation to
that leads us to self-preservation to
that leads us to self-preservation to fight or flight and all we can think
fight or flight and all we can think
fight or flight and all we can think about is protecting ourselves
about is protecting ourselves
about is protecting ourselves creativity shuts down enthusiasm shuts
creativity shuts down enthusiasm shuts
creativity shuts down enthusiasm shuts down excitement shuts down and we not
down excitement shuts down and we not
down excitement shuts down and we not only begin to miss opportunities but we
only begin to miss opportunities but we
only begin to miss opportunities but we actually start to limit our potential
actually start to limit our potential
actually start to limit our potential all from choosing the wrong what is
all from choosing the wrong what is
all from choosing the wrong what is because our scenarios don’t just stay
because our scenarios don’t just stay
because our scenarios don’t just stay scenarios in our heads they lead us to
scenarios in our heads they lead us to
scenarios in our heads they lead us to plan and prepare and that leads us to
plan and prepare and that leads us to
plan and prepare and that leads us to act because how many of you have an
act because how many of you have an
act because how many of you have an umbrella in your car well of course
umbrella in your car well of course
umbrella in your car well of course because what if it rains
because what if it rains
because what if it rains we’re constantly told prepare for the
we’re constantly told prepare for the
we’re constantly told prepare for the worst but when do we start preparing for
worst but when do we start preparing for
worst but when do we start preparing for the best and what if it all starts with
the best and what if it all starts with
the best and what if it all starts with changing our what-ifs
changing our what-ifs
changing our what-ifs what if we start to tell ourselves what
what if we start to tell ourselves what
what if we start to tell ourselves what if I get promoted what if I score the
if I get promoted what if I score the
if I get promoted what if I score the touchdown what if I make an A what if we
touchdown what if I make an A what if we
touchdown what if I make an A what if we can restore this relationship and then
can restore this relationship and then
can restore this relationship and then all of a sudden when your boss comes in
all of a sudden when your boss comes in
all of a sudden when your boss comes in and asks you to think about a new
and asks you to think about a new
and asks you to think about a new opportunity
opportunity
opportunity you absolutely volunteer because you’re
you absolutely volunteer because you’re
you absolutely volunteer because you’re no longer afraid of the risk but excited
no longer afraid of the risk but excited
no longer afraid of the risk but excited about the opportunity when the coach
about the opportunity when the coach
about the opportunity when the coach asks you to stay after practice and do a
asks you to stay after practice and do a
asks you to stay after practice and do a couple more reps you agree because you
couple more reps you agree because you
couple more reps you agree because you know that when game time comes you are
know that when game time comes you are
know that when game time comes you are absolutely going to catch that ball
absolutely going to catch that ball
absolutely going to catch that ball studying for an extra hour for that test
studying for an extra hour for that test
studying for an extra hour for that test doesn’t seem so pointless and saying I’m
doesn’t seem so pointless and saying I’m
doesn’t seem so pointless and saying I’m sorry one more time no longer seems like
sorry one more time no longer seems like
sorry one more time no longer seems like a waste because you no longer see your
a waste because you no longer see your
a waste because you no longer see your relationship as a lost cause what ifs
relationship as a lost cause what ifs
relationship as a lost cause what ifs can and do change your life
can and do change your life
can and do change your life so start preparing for the best and
so start preparing for the best and
so start preparing for the best and tomorrow
tomorrow
tomorrow what if along with your umbrella you
what if along with your umbrella you
what if along with your umbrella you grab a granola bar because what if you
grab a granola bar because what if you
grab a granola bar because what if you can make a difference and then on your
can make a difference and then on your
can make a difference and then on your way to work you look down and you pass a
way to work you look down and you pass a
way to work you look down and you pass a man that you’ve seen every day but
man that you’ve seen every day but
man that you’ve seen every day but you’ve realized that he’s holding a sign
you’ve realized that he’s holding a sign
you’ve realized that he’s holding a sign and you’re actually prepared to make a
and you’re actually prepared to make a
and you’re actually prepared to make a difference what if you tell yourself I’m
difference what if you tell yourself I’m
difference what if you tell yourself I’m gonna make a new friend and then
gonna make a new friend and then
gonna make a new friend and then striking up a conversation with a
striking up a conversation with a
striking up a conversation with a stranger doesn’t seem so scary because
stranger doesn’t seem so scary because
stranger doesn’t seem so scary because what ifs actually lead to why nots so
what ifs actually lead to why nots so
what ifs actually lead to why nots so think about your what-ifs start to
think about your what-ifs start to
think about your what-ifs start to listen for them in your children and
listen for them in your children and
listen for them in your children and your family and your friends because
your family and your friends because
your family and your friends because what ifs
what ifs
what ifs actually can change the world and if
actually can change the world and if
actually can change the world and if you’re going to tell yourself a scenario
you’re going to tell yourself a scenario
you’re going to tell yourself a scenario make it a great one because after all
make it a great one because after all
make it a great one because after all what if the sale of a Volkswagen and a
what if the sale of a Volkswagen and a
what if the sale of a Volkswagen and a calculator and some work done out of a
calculator and some work done out of a
calculator and some work done out of a garage can revolutionize the computer
garage can revolutionize the computer
garage can revolutionize the computer industry what if it only takes two
industry what if it only takes two
industry what if it only takes two musical notes to strike fear in ocean
musical notes to strike fear in ocean
musical notes to strike fear in ocean goers everywhere what if three circles
goers everywhere what if three circles
goers everywhere what if three circles come together
come together
come together [Music]
[Music]
[Music] oryx miles – children for generations
oryx miles – children for generations
oryx miles – children for generations what if a smile to a stranger can change
what if a smile to a stranger can change
what if a smile to a stranger can change your day what if it could change your
your day what if it could change your
your day what if it could change your life so now every day with my son leaves
life so now every day with my son leaves
life so now every day with my son leaves for school I asked him what are we
for school I asked him what are we
for school I asked him what are we looking for today and he says than good
looking for today and he says than good
looking for today and he says than good and I say why and he says because what
and I say why and he says because what
and I say why and he says because what you look for
”
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