I travel often with a colleague/friend who is from Romania. We have no end of things to talk about – from feeling like ‘little immigrant girls‘ posing as grown-ups, to citizenship, to parenting – our conversations are involved and interesting.
Mariuca has a little girl who is four years old. Dark haired with curls and beautiful eyes, she is the image of her mama. Since my children are now older and more complicated I delight in hearing some of the stories of her daughter.
One day as we were traveling and talking about raising contented kids, she talked about teaching her daughter early on that you accept what you are given, take it gratefully and don’t get upset. She taught her the phrase “You get what you get and you don’t get upset!”
I looked at her in happy astonishment as she told me. What a great phrase! Though it didn’t originate with my friend – it was the first time I heard it. It’s applicable to all of life from hearing that your favorite restaurant is out of your chosen entrée to finding out that you didn’t get the job you applied for — and so much more.
“You get what you get and you don’t get upset!”
It’s the perfect phrase for a spoiled society. A society that tends to want more and more, never quite satisfied with what is in front of it.
It’s the perfect phrase for the disgruntled, the discontent, the restless, the disappointed – you get what you get and you don’t get upset.
It’s the perfect phrase for this season, where discontent and addictions to ‘more’ color the white lights and frosted beauty that surrounds me.
It’s the perfect phrase for me when I veer toward wanting more; Not wanting the healthy sort of ‘more’ — more grace, more discipline, more passion that leads to doing more than I ever thought I could, but the unhealthy “I want more” that leads to discontent and dissatisfaction.
So today, with Thanksgiving but a memory and the Advent season in front of us, can I commit this quote to head and heart? That’s the big Monday question!
What about you? How have you learned to be content? How do you teach your children contentment?
Marilyn R. Gardner 
At our house it’s “You get what you get and you don’t have a fit.” It was introduced to us by my daughter’s four-year old friend who was talking to my husband. The same family taught us “Obey now, ask questions after.” We recently learned, from another family dealing with a child nagging about wanting to do something or have something, “I got it once. I got it twice. If I get it again, you don’t get it.”
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Our girls say, “You get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit! —Don’t get upset is a better ending…it’s broader than just stopping before you pitch a fit! Learn to accept what is given to you. Receive. Be content. What a great Monday morning message.
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Yes! I admit I don’t read all your posts but it seems I do when I need them most. Hapenstance. As I woke this Monday morning earlier than usual and just as your post title was read I was asking myself…why so down? Things are going so well. I have such a good life. The little things matter and the necessities are met. Good home, great husband, a good job, an exciting and lucrative photography business, heat on a cold morning and a fridge full of food. Things some people dream of.
It’s a Monday to count blessings and get out there and do my best.
Thanks Marilyn for posing this appropriate Monday question. Bless you.
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