Sunday, March 25, 2012

the blessing of a rainy day...

A couple of weeks ago, on a Saturday, it poured - the rain coming down in sheets. Baseball was canceled, and we had no afternoon events scheduled. BOY & GIRL played in their pajamas all day, building a fort in the living room out of couch cushions, blankets and pillows. Having recently acquired a stack of play money, they called it The Big Bucks Bank. Amazing how children figure out who has the money...

Later, I was coerced into dealing with The Big Bucks Bank and two very cute Tellers. The teller window was crafted out of an overturned laundry basket, with BOY within its plastic contours. My job was to approach the teller window and withdraw funds. As is the way with children, we did this over and over and over again... I slipped my flattened, paper airplane paycheck through the slot of the laundry basket teller window. BOY would then address the other teller, GIRL, who being the true banker, would count each amount out in 5's, 10's and 20's.

We played for a while, stopping for lunch, then each went to our own corners for an hour of quiet time. After E.K. was home and an early dinner, we all watched a movie together. It was the best day I've had in weeks.

I've thought about that day since - and find myself gabbing about it to anyone who will listen. As if I need witnesses to some kind of testimony of a very real, personal rapture..."I stopped moving and going and DOing." "I just stopped." I have the need to say it aloud.

We all need more of that-kind-of-day, when we aren't ruled by schedules and worn-out by obligations. It is those days that replenish us, that we remember and hold on to - that we reflect back on and breathe into. The trick is to declare "a day off" on our own - when it is not imposed upon us. To just STOP...because, we can. And, not be dependent on the blessing of a rainy day...


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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Friday, March 9, 2012

Romance is my mortal enemy


Discussion around the dinner table with young children always gives us an opportunity to look at things differently. Take BOY for example. We were discussing a new TV show that he gets to stay up and watch on Wednesday nights, if he's having a good week. It's called, LEGO Ninjago.

JCK: It really is pretty cute, E.K., you should check it out sometime.

E.K.: So, you said.

BOY- looking at his parents askance after the word "cute" was launched into the discussion of "his TV show."

BOY: It's a really great show...............except for the ROMANCE.

E.K.: Not too much into the romance, are you? That will change.

BOY: Dad! Mom! Don't you KNOW this?! Romance is my MORTAL ENEMY!

*************


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