The sun warmed my back as a cool breeze tickled my skin. I was leaned over my bike handlebars watching Hazel tie her shoe. It was not yet a deft crisp effort, but more of a methodical painstaking process that she patiently applied herself to. It filled me with joy. Her shining blonde head was tipped forward with chin tucked tightly to her chest. Time stood still as I breathed in the moment. And then she did it, the last of the Allen brood could tie her shoes. It settled deeply in my consciousness, the picture of her ice cream smeared fingers and messy hair falling around her shoulders while a diligent brain willed those little hands to new mastery.
As we sailed home from the ice cream shop, a memory of fixing Eden's eyebrows earlier brought bubbles of laughter to my lips. I knew she was egging me on to fix them just so she could video her mother doing one of the most annoying things on earth to send to friends and yet... the need to fix that eyebrow overcame all sense of self preservation. The hilarious snapchat video couldn't wait for me to discover it. She flashed it in my face while her eyes danced with mirth and peals of laughter filled our yard. Celebrating our whole selves is elemental to happiness.
I stood at the counter gathering the orange juice and champagne with Nick at my elbow. He lifted his chin in supplication and said "is there anything I can do to help?" Knowing his heart, my mind grasped for a job to give him and I found myself in a rare moment without an answer. If there's anything I never want to say to Nick it's that I don't need anything, because he simply thrives upon meeting my needs. He leaned into me and our eyes met. I love this boy. He fills me with peace.
Kait plopped into the chair across from me for a chat and I gazed at her poised beauty and her caring eyes but how to reach that soul? Our conversation meandered through trivialities but then I leaned toward her with every fiber of me hoping. Winning the heart of your child and teaching them to bend with the words of wise counsel is not a casually driven art. Finding the ability to hone your emotional intelligence to the angle that hits them just right is tricky at best. I weighed each word, searching for the ones that would work. As I spoke I watched her eyes flicker with annoyance then swing back with surprise. Was I winning? With children it's always too soon to tell. Oh but I pray.
I suppose the best of life comes upon us without warning and overtakes us like the aroma of lilacs and leaves with a trail of warmth in it's wake.
As we sailed home from the ice cream shop, a memory of fixing Eden's eyebrows earlier brought bubbles of laughter to my lips. I knew she was egging me on to fix them just so she could video her mother doing one of the most annoying things on earth to send to friends and yet... the need to fix that eyebrow overcame all sense of self preservation. The hilarious snapchat video couldn't wait for me to discover it. She flashed it in my face while her eyes danced with mirth and peals of laughter filled our yard. Celebrating our whole selves is elemental to happiness.
I stood at the counter gathering the orange juice and champagne with Nick at my elbow. He lifted his chin in supplication and said "is there anything I can do to help?" Knowing his heart, my mind grasped for a job to give him and I found myself in a rare moment without an answer. If there's anything I never want to say to Nick it's that I don't need anything, because he simply thrives upon meeting my needs. He leaned into me and our eyes met. I love this boy. He fills me with peace.
Kait plopped into the chair across from me for a chat and I gazed at her poised beauty and her caring eyes but how to reach that soul? Our conversation meandered through trivialities but then I leaned toward her with every fiber of me hoping. Winning the heart of your child and teaching them to bend with the words of wise counsel is not a casually driven art. Finding the ability to hone your emotional intelligence to the angle that hits them just right is tricky at best. I weighed each word, searching for the ones that would work. As I spoke I watched her eyes flicker with annoyance then swing back with surprise. Was I winning? With children it's always too soon to tell. Oh but I pray.
I suppose the best of life comes upon us without warning and overtakes us like the aroma of lilacs and leaves with a trail of warmth in it's wake.
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