On this particular day, I'm thankful for the freedom this season in my life allows. As we pulled up to school this morning, Tobin gasped, "Oh no, Mom, I forgot my recorder! And I have music first thing this morning. Can you pleeeeease go back home and get it?" I paused for a second, thinking maybe I should let him grapple with the consequences of forgetting it--that this would be a good lesson to learn. Plus, going home and back to school is a thirty-minute round trip; that would make the earliest I could get back 9:30, fifteen minutes into his music class. And truthfully, the idea of going to that trouble kinda irked me.
But then I thought about what a responsible, shy, somewhat-anxious kid Tobin is and that he was probably panicked enough at the prospect of explaining to his music teacher that he forgot his instrument. And really, going home and back was something I could do. So I did it. I drove quickly home, retrieved the recorder and delivered it to my very relieved child.
It may sound silly: I felt a tad heroic. But that's not really my main point here. Underlying my excursion this morning is my gratitude that I had the flexibility to go on it at all. That's because I'm not working right now. The rest of my day will include very ordinary, mundane things like running errands to Target and Costco, folding laundry, paying bills and waiting for a refrigerator repair man. However, at this moment, I'm really grateful that I have the freedom to respond so effortlessly to my family's needs. I'm all the more thankful because I know there will come a time when this season ends--sooner than later, now that the kids are all in school--and I will be working outside the home again. Actually, I'm looking forward to that time when it comes. But for now, I'll remain grateful for and grounded in this particular moment.
1 comment:
I got to hear T's version of this story when I picked him up from school. No doubt in my mind this was heroic mom in action.
Post a Comment