Yesterday I
drove my sweet, almost 8 year old Kira to the airport to go visit grammie. As I
drove, I was lost in thought about how fast Kira seems to be growing up. I was analyzing
the way life is so tricky like that. One day you’re seven year old girl getting
on a plane to visit grandma. Then you step off the plane with your newlywed
husband, off to celebrate your honeymoon. Your love-struck eyes blink, and when
you open them you’re an overwhelmed mother trying to keep track of screaming
babies, school lunches, karate lessons, science fair projects...Then, after a
long day of work, you lean down to wash your toddler’s face with your thumb and
spit, and you stand up holding a cane and looking at pictures of
great-grandchildren. That’s how it’s going to feel one day for all of us. It
really reminded me to slow down and, most importantly, make memories and take
pictures with loved ones, and try with all my might to live in the moment more
often.
Yes, yes, a
bit deep for a brief car ride! But, I don’t stop there! I also looked in my
rear-view mirror and saw Kira dancing along to whatever song she was singing,
looking out the window; not a care in the world. I watched her skip along in
the airport, smiling at everyone we passed. I listened as she excitedly babbled
on, asking question after question. She did not care what anyone thought of
her. She’d break out in a little jig with her suitcase. She’d, well, act like a
kid does. When did we as adults become so obsessed with what other people think
of us? I mean, I know it’s a little weird to see and adult skipping around and
running up the down escalator, but really, we are so consumed over what other
people’s perceptions of us are.
This really
affected me. I think I’ll try to break out of my shell a little bit. Go out and
swim not caring about what my body looks like in a swimsuit. I’ll play at the
park with my kids rather than read a book. I’ll do more things I WANT to do,
but feel silly doing. Funny, I’m the parent. The teacher. But, my kids teach me a lot more than they think they do!
