Determination! A reminder.

Pictured are the remnants of my three-year-old daughter’s fierce determination to unpack this box.

Inside were my CPAP supplies, each individually boxed or wrapped in plastic. She sat there for 45 minutes, utterly intent on “helping” me. I was cleaning the kitchen and let her keep going, even though it was past time to head downstairs and get ready for bed.

Every so often, I’d glance over my shoulder from the sink and notice a few more tiny scraps of plastic strewn across the tile floor.

Finally, she squealed, “I did it, Dada!” Sure enough, the tubing, reservoir, and mask were all sitting there, fully exposed to the floor.

“Thanks, my love! Put them back in the box, please.”

She did, and then bounded away, completely fulfilled.

Why am I sharing these details about my sleep affliction?

I wanted to highlight how hard it was for me not to step in, but more importantly, to show that I got to watch her finish a job she started.

It was a well-timed reminder for me: I have a tendency to jump to something else mid-task, so seeing her finish what she started hit home. I also needed to be reminded of the simple, pure joy a little human feels when they accomplish a hard task.