Kind. Happy. Productive.

I was at a mom's group a couple years ago and the speaker floated the suggestion of having a family motto. She had a board posted in her front entryway which was very Pinterest-y in effect and somewhat generic along the lines of "Live, laugh, love" but it got me thinking, nonetheless. I really did like the idea. Instead of house rules and can do's and don't do's, wouldn't it just be simpler to have a family motto and - in a way - it could address all the gray areas of life that don't necessarily fit into rules. 

The first thing that popped in my head was a quote from Conan O'Brien which was something along the lines of "Nobody in life gets everything they want, but if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen." I also really dig the whole strength and simplicity behind the triad of "Kind. Happy. Productive." I was ready to post these things subtly somewhere in my home, but I will wait for my partner in crime to return home and confirm our family motto before I use it as a basis moving forward with the boys. 

I've always felt a pull towards a more simple and kind and generous life, but the tide is definitely pulling me in more than ever before. And it makes me think of my mom. She was smart and she was kind and she wasn't easily influenced by bullshit trends - she was just a great human being. I have an opportunity as a mom to present these ideals - or any others - to my sons on a daily basis: how fucking cool is that? 

1985