Time, not Doing...
I recently took my two young daughters to see their sister graduate HS and then to see grandparents whom they haven't seen in 3 years.
My daughters are used to living in two different worlds. One world is of things and constant "doing and entertainment". This leads to a lot of complaints from them that they "are bored". The other world they live, their life with me. Poor but imaginative. We groom the church gardens and watch sunsets from Table Rock and go to church where they are free to just be themselves.
Unfortunately, they get more of one life than the other. While visiting G and G, they were immediately bored. When I tucked them in that night we all laid out the bed while they read to me. We talked about how much connection to family, blood or otherwise, was the most important thing in life. That all the adventures in the world would never replace the quiet time one spends keeping company and remaining still with people we have history with. They listened but I didn't know how much they assimilated.
The next day, adventure struck. We had a wonderful day of climbing mountains and echoing our voices in the canyon, with Grandpa in tow and sometimes leading the way. They played football (you should have seen my oldest throw a football, holy crap.) We played volleyball. We had fun.
That night as I laid down to sleep I wondered if anyting I had said to them the night earlierthey would remember.
The next morning, after finding breakfast, my oldest sat down in front of the tv and was flipping through the channels and she ran across the Indy 500. "Grandpa!" she yelled, "the Indy 500 is on. I have always wanted see it! Come watch it with me." His face lit up like a Christmas tree. He settled in on one side of the couch and she the other. They shared the same blanket. That eleven year old watched the entire Indy 500 with her grandpa. I sat and watched them watch the Indy 500. I even took a picture of the two couch potatoes watching the Indy 500. She got it. She is eleven. She understands. Maybe not as deeply as someone at 50. But she got it. She adores her grandpa and she gave him such a gift that day. I am so proud of her. I am so happy for my dad and I am grateful the words were given to me in the right manner that reached them that night.
Its the time we spend together with the people we love that is the most important. The most memorable. The most valuable. Everything else, is superfilous.
nina
My daughters are used to living in two different worlds. One world is of things and constant "doing and entertainment". This leads to a lot of complaints from them that they "are bored". The other world they live, their life with me. Poor but imaginative. We groom the church gardens and watch sunsets from Table Rock and go to church where they are free to just be themselves.
Unfortunately, they get more of one life than the other. While visiting G and G, they were immediately bored. When I tucked them in that night we all laid out the bed while they read to me. We talked about how much connection to family, blood or otherwise, was the most important thing in life. That all the adventures in the world would never replace the quiet time one spends keeping company and remaining still with people we have history with. They listened but I didn't know how much they assimilated.
The next day, adventure struck. We had a wonderful day of climbing mountains and echoing our voices in the canyon, with Grandpa in tow and sometimes leading the way. They played football (you should have seen my oldest throw a football, holy crap.) We played volleyball. We had fun.
That night as I laid down to sleep I wondered if anyting I had said to them the night earlierthey would remember.
The next morning, after finding breakfast, my oldest sat down in front of the tv and was flipping through the channels and she ran across the Indy 500. "Grandpa!" she yelled, "the Indy 500 is on. I have always wanted see it! Come watch it with me." His face lit up like a Christmas tree. He settled in on one side of the couch and she the other. They shared the same blanket. That eleven year old watched the entire Indy 500 with her grandpa. I sat and watched them watch the Indy 500. I even took a picture of the two couch potatoes watching the Indy 500. She got it. She is eleven. She understands. Maybe not as deeply as someone at 50. But she got it. She adores her grandpa and she gave him such a gift that day. I am so proud of her. I am so happy for my dad and I am grateful the words were given to me in the right manner that reached them that night.
Its the time we spend together with the people we love that is the most important. The most memorable. The most valuable. Everything else, is superfilous.
nina
Labels: appreciation, children, family, love, time
posted by nina michelle at 9:14 PM
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