There are just times when my joy level spills over.
While looking at these photos on my wall and credenza tonight, the dam broke.
I was paying bills--which is seldom on my joy radar--when I got up to dig through a drawer to find a receipt. Muttering at my filing system (it's a drawer, for Pete's sake, so I just throw things in there and call it good), I glanced up and saw these three faces.
A review of my life's major moments reflected back at me:
--married, check
--got a job, check
--had children, check
--prepared delicious meals often, no check
--entertained socially, checked out
--made the best homemade Butterfinger ice cream ever, oh yeah check
--took care of my money, overdrawn check
--smoked a cigar, check
--got a tattoo, check
--wished I could get rid of that tattoo, check
--witnessed someone take his last breath, check minus
--heard three first breaths, check plus
Emily (top), her daughter/ my granddaughter Lillie (middle), and my firstborn Julie (bottom) are those three.
Isn't it wonderfully ironic that the ordinary miracle of birth, which happens over 350,000 times a day on this planet, has the power to take our breath away.
Breathtaking. That's it. These three, two of whom are now very much past the two-teeth stage, still move me in a way nothing or no one else can do--even when I'm sending Honda Financial Services a car payment.
As it should be, stopping in the midst of the mundane to remember that baby days are fleeting. Stopping while logged in to www.allstate.com to smile at how fortunate I have been to grow older with these babies-no-more. Stopping to look into these faces and knowing those smiles came so naturally.Checkmate.
