My six-year-old teaches me something every single day. While I know it’s my job and privilege to provide insight, teach right from wrong, and train my children in the ways of the world, I think God gave me children to teach me to look deeper, shed my insecurities, lighten up, and laugh.

But, inevitably, life takes a toll. I easily forget these simple lessons. That’s why I’m so thankful for my daughter. Her faith, honesty, and purity are contagious and I’m thankful for it every day.

My daughter loves the soundtrack from the movie, The Greatest Showman. She knows the lyrics to nearly every song and has even choreographed dance numbers to some of them. But, this is what I hear most:

“Mom, can you play “This is Me” again?”

I put the song on repeat until I literally cannot stand it anymore. I go to bed with the thundering chorus in my head most nights.

The talented Keala Settle belts out the music with such passion, I can see why it draws my daughter in. But, as I listen to the powerful lyrics, I wonder if she really understands the meaning of this song.

So, I asked her.

Perfection

This elusive word has haunted me most of my life. It taunts me when I fail. It tells me I’m not good enough. It loves to point out how others are so much better than me. Sometimes it brings me to tears and sometimes it makes me so angry I feel like punching a hole in the wall.

Maybe it’s the fear of disappointing someone, or even worse, disappointing myself. So, I relentlessly try to “have it all together” — ALL THE TIME — only to realize no matter how “perfect” I am, I will disappoint someone. I will fail. I won’t have it all together.