Smelling the Roses

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I tried something new today.

Getting out of bed, I made my usual "To-Do" list. Chore after chore, the list kept getting longer. Nothing new in that, just the same as the day before, and the one before that too.

Then Kai ran in to my bedroom. "Ohayou, mama!" (good morning, mama!) his smile was bright as usual.

I looked down at my list full of black squiggles and paused.

"You know what?! Not today!"

I crumbled up the list and tossed it away.

"WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO TODAY, KAI!?"

A blank look on his little face.

A big smile emerges.

"Play with trains! And eat cookies! And paint!"

"LET'S DO IT!"

We painted a portrait on a great white canvas. No rules, no regulations.

Just painting.

We ate cookies and marshmallows for breakfast.

Then, we did what I know little how to do.

Played with train tracks, robots, guns and pretended to be monsters.

What beautiful and sweet kids I have?!

It seemed though I had almost completely forgotten how cute they were lately.

I've been so busy with my to-do list.

Chasing things that will never be done and always requiring my attention.

Although I firmly believe in "personal time," a time when each of us spends our own time away from each other to teach independence, and although I feel that children need to see their parents working, most of the time, I feel as though I create myself a busy schedule, JUST to fill up my time when I'm with them. Anything to get away from having to have to play trains...

My dear friend reminded me the other day, something her mother always told her:

"There will ALWAYS be things that require your attention, but your children will not always be around."

I hope I can remember this better.