Every now and then, our rushed life slows down to pause at a precious moment.
Last night - which I thought was the summer solstice (then I looked it up online and found out that it is actually today) - we were out late with the kids; they were up way past their bedtimes. On the way home, it was almost dark and the lightning bugs were out in full effect. This is the first time in years that there are millions of these little guys everywhere. I pointed one out to the kids through the car window and they both were transfixed. Every now and then they would call out, "Look, Look!"
Instead of going to bed when we got home, Mark took the kids out to the back yard, where we sat in semi-darkness watching all the lights blinking around. I showed Eli how I catch one on my hand without smashing its little brains out.
For that moment, I stepped back and just savored the scene around me. Both of my kids were enjoying something that didn't require electronics or loud noises. We were loving nature. Mark and Marina rocked on the porch chair and Eli and I ran in circles chasing bugs. I stopped for a second and shifted through the memories I have of doing the same thing with my siblings when we were growing up.
It's only a fleeting moment that these two precious children of mine are young. My heart feels full at the thought of making memories like this with them. I want to freeze it in time and revisit it every time I'm feeling the cold of frustration that sometimes accompanies parenting (like today when I was brutally attacked with a plastic sword).
I'm so grateful for the gift and responsibility that comes with being a parent. It brings to mind the lyrics to a beautiful song:
Almost made me cry.
ReplyDelete