the gift of an ordinary day...

The clip that I will post at the end of this piece appeared on my Facebook stream today...  I'd seen the same clip a few years ago and I was so moved that I immediately bought the book. It's lovely, touching, poignant... It will tug at your heartstrings. It will stop you to pause... to think... to reflect... to wonder... It will cause you to wonder where on earth the time has gone... It will cause you to ask yourself what happened to my babies? Whatever did happen to my babies? When did they stop being babies? All those early years I wanted  to hurry on up so that I could get to where I am now.

And I wonder, why did I ever want that?

I remember strangers smiling down at my young children, perfectly groomed, perfectly coiffed, telling me that the years pass by too quickly. I smiled politely. The same way I smiled when people would tell me that I'd never love anything or anyone as much as I would love my (then unborn) child. I didn't get it. I smiled politely. And then my daughter was born and I knew. And I wondered and worried that I could never love a second as my as I loved my first born. And then my second child was born. And I knew. And years later my third child was born. And I knew. And now, I think back to those older women telling how quickly time does fly. And I know. Now I know. I won't ever tell this to the young mother with the adorable towhead in the blue Polo shirt, white shorts and red Keds sneakers who looks so much like my boys did. I will think it. But I won't say it. But I know. Now I know.

I was in Rhode Island this weekend with my boys visiting two dear friends and their kids. We had a short but perfect stay and the children all enjoyed the beaches... digging for crabs and collecting rocks and running from the enormous waves that came crashing down, trying to knock them over... playing hide and seek, walking to the ice cream  parlor after dinner and out to the rocky beach this morning. 

My youngest found a long and beautiful piece of driftwood and he insisted on walking the half mile or so back to the cottages with it. I had no objection. He wanted to bring it back home to Connecticut. I had no objection to that either although I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to get it in the car. He carried the over 4 ft long oversized stick all the way back, how could I not at least try to get it in the car?! I think most mothers (in their right minds!) would gently suggest leaving the driftwood on the beach, where it belonged, where it would be happier. But really, there was no reason why he couldn't take it home with him. So what if it had a little sand on it? So did our feet, so did everything else that was with us. When you go to the beach sand happens. I had no reason whatsoever not to allow the stick to come home. And so it did. And it made one little boy very happy.

Do you know what this piece of driftwood was? It was the gift of an ordinary day.

And I found my own gift of an ordinary day as I was looking for perfectly smooth river rocks. Here, one perfect heart shaped rock found itself into my hands...I haven't decided whether I will give it to someone or keep it for myself...

Please click on the play button below.

XOXO,

Jessica