It's a Process
To Be Honest TikTok Content Taught Me a Lesson
Image: TikTok/@Kimiandherdad
I’ve made no secret that I didn’t love this summer. Relentless heat and humidity took me to a mental brink, so when I found something positive, I drank it like finding water in a desert.
I’ve already shared plenty about how much Superman resonated and gave me much-needed hope, so today I wanted to highlight a father-daughter TikTok that has brought me smiles and even a lesson I wasn’t looking for.
Kimi and her dad is exactly that. Kimi teaches her dad English, and she is a natural teacher. She is an amazing encourager with great patience. When he gets it right, she is so excited. She yells, “Good job,” and kisses his head. When he can’t remember or is wrong, he becomes downcast and says, “Sorry, Teacher.”
Kimi? She hugs him and tells him, “Don’t worry. It’s a process.”
Kimi has covered colors, clothes, and even a McDonald’s order. Every time she reminds him, “It’s a process.”
We all need Kimi in our lives to remind us.
It can go from small frustrations and learning curves to big life moments.
For instance, I wear my hair curly. I grew up with wavy hair, and lost it during pregnancy. However, between menopause and what I later realized was pandemic-related, my hair fell out for three weeks, and then came back in thick curls.
Taming those curls? I read. I watched Instagram and YouTube. I spent more money on products from gels to hair dryer attachments than I will ever let my husband know. I have strangers stop me to talk about my hair. Guess what?
It’s a process.
I’ve been very vocal, okay, whiny, about the wait for my eye surgeon to call for my two cataract surgeries. It’s yet to happen, that call to schedule, and I’ve tried to process the wait. Of the two appointments I’ve had related to my eyes, I went from station to station. It was a literal process. Each call has been a process. Although it’s in the final stage where all the information is on file, the lens ordered, now it’s time to pick a date-it’s a process.
Today is my 29th anniversary. My husband, taking after his hilarious father, I miss told a friend that we’ve been married 25 great years. Then, after a pause, he said, we’ve actually been married 29 years overall. Haha. But to get to 29? What a process. Lots of learning. Forgiveness. Misunderstandings. Oneness. Isolation. Highs. Lows. Seasons. We not only don’t look the same as our wedding day, we aren’t the same.
I have a book releasing September 19, Building Hearts. I start with a rough draft. I send in for critiques. I review those, and re write. Once I’m happy with edits and revisions, I send to another critique group. Then Beta readers. There’s also cover design, formatting, and the Amazon publishing steps. It’s a long, long process.
This summer has been the summer of waiting. It has been a test of patience and perseverance. I’m not the same person I was when this year started. I’m depleted emotionally, but I’m stronger spiritually. None of that would be possible without the process.
Watching Kimi and her dad, I forget how complicated our language is. I can’t imagine trying to learn it as an adult. With a teacher like Kimi, I know her dad will master it.
I don’t know what your learning season is, or your wait. I’m not sure if it’s a simple thing like learning how to style a new cut, or something big like writing a book or learning a language.
Don’t forget the nurturing Kimi and her words that taught me far more than Spanish as she taught her dad English.
It’s a process. Worth the work. Worth the wait.
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As I wrote above, I’m an author who publishes small-town romances that feature Christian surrender issues and chocolate. Building Hearts is available for Kindle pre-order, softcover coming soon.
I also love to encourage other authors. Each weekI promote new releases at juliearduini.com. This week I featured Terry Overton’s The Covenant: The Messiah Brigade Book One. Check it out!