RIGHT NOW, RIGHT THIS MINUTE, THIS DAY MAY SEEM LIKE THE BEST, OR LONGEST, OR WORST, OR HAPPIEST, OR SADIST, WHATEVER KIND OF DAY; THE DAY HAPPENS FAST.
BOOM…
THE FREQUENCY IN WHICH I BUY SHOES AND FOOD AND CLOTHING FOR MY QUICKLY, AIN’T GONNA SLOW-GROWING KIDS, SERVES AS A GREAT REMINDER OF HOW ABSOLUTELY, TRULY, ABSURDLY FAST LIFE HAPPENS.
THE OTHER DAY I HAD THIS MOMENT WHEN I LOOKED AT BOTH MY KIDS PLAYING AND THOUGHT WOW THEY’VE GOTTEN SO BIG, SO MUCH SO THEY’VE BOTH OUTGROWN MY HIP.
I MISS WEARING THOSE RUG RATS… I MISS A BABE NESTLED ON MY HIP, SNUGGLED UP IN THE CROOK OF MY ARM, STRANDS OF MY HAIR TWIRLED AROUND LITTLE FINGERS, A TINY HEAD RESTING ON MY SHOULDER, WHILE I TAKE IN THAT SWEET BABY SMELL, AND THE WARMTH OF BABY BREATH ON MY CHEST. SIGH.
INDEED, I MISS IT!
OH-OH! OH, I CAN STILL MAKE IT HAPPEN; I CAN CARRY THEM AROUND ON MY HIP; IF, I DON’T MIND EMBARRASSING THE CRAP OUT OF ‘EM, OR BREAKING MY BACK, OR FILLING A BURN AND TINGLING SENSATION IN MA-LEGS AND ARMS.
SIGH. CRAZY BEAUTIFUL ABSURDLY FAST LIFE…
MY LITTLE ONE HOLDS UP ONE HAND AND SAYS, “MOM, TODAY, TRY TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS; (1 FINGER) PAST, (2 FINGERS) PRESENT (3 FINGERS) FUTURE…”
“MOM, DO YOU KNOW THAT PRESENT MEANS GIFT OF LIVING?”
TO WHICH I SAID, “I DO NOW, SWEETIE.”
Three hundred and thirteen are the number of Wednesdays I’ve had with my six-year-old daughter because that is how many Wednesdays are in six years.
MY DAUGHTERS WISHING AND HOPING AND WISHING FOR THE SKIES TO OPEN UP AND LET DOWN SOME OF THAT WHITE STUFF, OF WHICH, SO MANY OTHERS IN THE US OF A AND ACROSS THE GLOBE ARE TIRED OF LIVING… FINALLY HAPPENED, AND SNOW WE GOT –ALL TWO INCHES OF IT –GOOD TIMES.
We live in an area that averages snow about every 3 years, so the officials responsible for deploying salt trucks and school closures and behind keep people safe scenes should know better than allowing for ill-preparedness, but this time wasn’t any different, and oh my, a cluster of madness we got.
When the beautiful white fluff stuff starts melting, and then temperatures drop below freezing, it hardens into a sheet of ice, making for dangerous driving conditions, and well, we here in the South have yet learnt to drive on ice; words drenched in sarcasm. I digress.
And, for two days there weren’t alarms sounding, no get up and rush around… the word hurry did not fall from my mouth; not once.
My youngest daughter loves parties; we had a birthday party, well, not a birthday party, we just had the party, using birthday hats and birthday plates and candles and those blow thingy noise makers, and we ate and sang silly.
Go for long walks.
Indulge in hot baths.
Question your assumptions.
Be kind to yourself.
Live for the moment.
Loosen up your scream.
Curse the world.
Count your blessings.
JUST LET GO.
JUST BE.