My niece and nephew got to come over for a play date with me yesterday. We built a marble run, towers of blocks, smeared faces with fudgesicles, cleaned up marker art on objects and people when they didn’t end up on paper, read books, played cars and dolls, as well as ‘tuck, tuck, tuck’ (tucking a blanket around them like they are burritos). We had fun playing and I loved being called ‘Wee-sha’ and having sweet little hands grasp mine and pull me to their desired activity or food.
One of the most important elements of enjoying that day was my perspective. I have had enough experience with my kids to understand the huge probability that the house will end up a wreck (which this time it really wasn’t bad at all) and that I won’t be able to get other things done. I’m sure many of you understand the price for that understanding. Knowing that coming into the experience, took away any guilt that I might have in trying to fit anything else in my day, leaving me free to treasure the time spent and the memories made.
I don’t pretend to always have the correct expectations for different events or people, but that doesn't stop me from trying. I’m so grateful to the examples in my life who continue to teach me and help me reach out and grab the beautiful moments in my life, which with a different mindset, would be completely lost.
I love when you said that you came into the experience of caring for those children with a set frame of mind, prepared for what was going to be and therefore free to experience and treasure those moments with them. If we could always have that frame of mind, how different things would be! Thank you Alicia.
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