Closing the Loop
Finn and I were able to close the loop on his gift to the children's hospital yesterday. If you don't know what I'm referring to, I highly recommend reading it here! It was a beautiful time together. We packaged his letter, money, and paperwork, drove to the post office (where he personally dropped his gift in the mail), and we celebrated with ice cream. He was beaming, and I was so proud of him.
Closing the loop was such an important step. I could have made a gift on Finn's behalf and told him, "Good job," but him seeing it through to the natural end was critical for his growth. Here's what the entire loop looked like:
He worked hard and earned money (actual cash he could see and feel)
He spent some of that money on fun things (which he personally purchased with the cash)
He saved some of that money for a bigger purchase (a pocketknife....and yes, he cut himself the first day).
He set some of that money aside for giving (which he used for the gift to the children's hospital).
Each step, he was personally involved. He could touch and feel every part of the process. The pain and accomplishment of the work. The satisfaction of receiving compensation. The fun of spending. The discipline and sacrifice of saving. The selflessness and love of giving.
This is where so many of us whiff. Whether it's ourselves or in our parenting, we don't close loops with finances. We take shortcuts, stop short of fully completing goals, or inadvertently rob ourselves (and our kids) of the tangibility. When we do this, we lose something important. We lose the meaning, fulfillment, and humanity of the journey.
I wanted Finn to see, feel, and experience every step of this little journey. Once that loop was closed, it triggered so many questions:
"Do you think my gift will make a difference?"
"Can I give to the hospital again?"
"Can I give to other people, too?"
"Do you think God is happy with my decision?"
"If I work more, will I have more money to do things with?"
"Is it okay to save and give more of my money next time I get paid?"
"When can I get a job?"
His little mind is working overtime. This is the beauty of closing loops. Make a goal. Work toward the goal. Accomplish the goal. Celebrate the win. Start afresh. Life can be a series of awesome loops if we allow it.
I'm sure Finn will screw up many, many times. He'll do selfish things. He'll make mistakes. He'll hurt people. But yesterday, he took a step in a positive direction. He grew, and I probably did as well.
Create new loops, enjoy the journey, close them, and repeat.
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