Yesterday morning was very chilly. I was heading back the car, after I dropping Baby Girl off at preschool, when I reached my hands into my pockets to ward off the chill. Inside the pockets I found one tiny winged monster, two marbles and a colored rock. I don't remember the exact details of how Bouncing Boy's winged monster ended up in my pocket. I remember it was entrusted in my keeping, and I remember smiling and agreeing to keep the monster safe. The first marble was an early morning present from Baby Girl. Several days ago she found the marble on her way out of her bedroom and presented it to me as a gift in her very over the top way. I've had it in my pocket ever since. The second marble I picked up yesterday morning during the rush to get everyone out the door on time. I picked it up because I didn't want to step on it, and grumbled about the mess. The rock was a gift from Bouncing Boy. He collects, as he calls them, "precious rocks." This particular precious rock was carefully colored, I think with a crayon, one side purple with a hint of blue and the other side yellow.
When I am having one of those priceless, wonderful moments with the children I tell them, "I want to put this moment in a bottle and save it for later." Yesterday in the chill of the morning I realized my pocket had become my proverbial "bottle." The moments captured weren't the grand moments I usually think about bottling, but somehow those everyday events became infinitely precious to me. They help me remember to be present in the moment, and enjoy. I know the day will come when Bouncing Boy won't ask me to hold his toys or gift me with precious rocks, Baby Girl won't see marbles and gifts for her mommy, and the toys will no longer be around for me to grumble about picking up.
Yesterday, when I arrived home I posted the contents of my pocket as my Facebook status. A friend suggested I make a photo, which I thought was a lovely idea. The contents of my pocket has served as a vehicle for an awareness of the things I am Thankful for, my family both when they are being wonderful and when I am grumbling, and my friends who listen to my stories of the good times and listen to my grumbling when things are making a little cuckoo.
A Very Happy Thanksgiving to You All!
Lovely post!
ReplyDeleteThis is so loving filling my heart with gladness that you are so keenly aware of being present at every moment. My gratitude is that, my precious, you are aware and see life. love and miss you, Mom
ReplyDeleteGreat introspection! Riley had a thing with rocks too. He called them "special rocks" and picked up favorites in nearly every place we traveled. In retrospect, I wish I had labeled them for where they came from. The funny thing is he never picked rocks I would consider special - they were usually plain gravel or even concrete. One of these days I'll buy him a real geologic specimen collection.
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