I am currently reading a book in which the author confronts the idea that most of us do not enjoy what is happening right now. We wish we were younger. We wish our children would move on to the next (developmental) stage. We can't wait until the weekend or our week of vacation at the end of July. Why do we rush through the things we are doing? Why do we rush to get to the park? Why do we rush around doing errands on Saturdays? Why do we hurry and eat supper?
He says that we should enjoy the here and now.
Obviously, he has not lived with Addie C. Jones, or he would understand that the reason I rush through supper (on some days) is because it means that I am one step closer to bedtime. And the quiet.
When the kids get home from school, it gets a little chaotic on most days. Everyone is talking at the same time, about something different. Backpacks are unpacked, popsicles are chosen. Some go outside, some go to the computer, some go to the television.
But today, Addie C. just disappeared for a few minutes. This, of course, means trouble. Eventually, she turns up and decides to follow Marnie outside. However, as she is running by the kitchen, I notice that something just doesn't look right with her dress.
"Stop!" I call after her. Addie C. comes back to the kitchen.
"Yes, Mommy?" she asks. She sounds sweet, doesn't she? All innocent and everything.
"What is on your dress?" I ask her. "Can you show Mommy please?"
She smiles her biggest smile. She proudly shows off how she has taken a dark green marker and decorated the sash on her pretty pink party dress. Why is she wearing a pretty pink party dress on a regular Wednesday afternoon, you ask? Because this is Addie C. Jones and every day is a party for her.
So, I took a deep breath and reminded myself of the message from the book I am reading. I need to enjoy the here and now because she is not always going to be a very cute little four-year-old girl. Someday soon we will be arguing over make-up and skirts that are too short or shirts that too revealing or curfews. Plus, this particular dress is getting small and we didn't have any special parties planned that require a pretty pink dress.
Addie C. is very creative, don't you think? I mean, I bet there are times when you have wanted to change your pretty dress to make it an original ... change the colour, or add some kind of embellishment. Addie C. is not the type of girl to wear a dress "off the rack" because - and I think we can all agree on this - Addie C. Jones is an original.
Jonesy and I told her how pretty she looked and she smiled her biggest smile again. So proud of herself. Then, I took her picture.
The back door slammed as she ran outside to torture her older sister. Me? I went back to stirring my spaghetti sauce, counting the minutes until bedtime.
He says that we should enjoy the here and now.
Obviously, he has not lived with Addie C. Jones, or he would understand that the reason I rush through supper (on some days) is because it means that I am one step closer to bedtime. And the quiet.
When the kids get home from school, it gets a little chaotic on most days. Everyone is talking at the same time, about something different. Backpacks are unpacked, popsicles are chosen. Some go outside, some go to the computer, some go to the television.
But today, Addie C. just disappeared for a few minutes. This, of course, means trouble. Eventually, she turns up and decides to follow Marnie outside. However, as she is running by the kitchen, I notice that something just doesn't look right with her dress.
"Stop!" I call after her. Addie C. comes back to the kitchen.
"Yes, Mommy?" she asks. She sounds sweet, doesn't she? All innocent and everything.
"What is on your dress?" I ask her. "Can you show Mommy please?"
She smiles her biggest smile. She proudly shows off how she has taken a dark green marker and decorated the sash on her pretty pink party dress. Why is she wearing a pretty pink party dress on a regular Wednesday afternoon, you ask? Because this is Addie C. Jones and every day is a party for her.
So, I took a deep breath and reminded myself of the message from the book I am reading. I need to enjoy the here and now because she is not always going to be a very cute little four-year-old girl. Someday soon we will be arguing over make-up and skirts that are too short or shirts that too revealing or curfews. Plus, this particular dress is getting small and we didn't have any special parties planned that require a pretty pink dress.
Addie C. is very creative, don't you think? I mean, I bet there are times when you have wanted to change your pretty dress to make it an original ... change the colour, or add some kind of embellishment. Addie C. is not the type of girl to wear a dress "off the rack" because - and I think we can all agree on this - Addie C. Jones is an original.
Jonesy and I told her how pretty she looked and she smiled her biggest smile again. So proud of herself. Then, I took her picture.
The back door slammed as she ran outside to torture her older sister. Me? I went back to stirring my spaghetti sauce, counting the minutes until bedtime.
1 comments:
What a great little story!! That dear child is definitely an "original" ----just the way we like her!!