Detour

35 Replies

Because some days you just need to say ‘to hell with it’- whip your minivan around a roundabout, in an illegal u-turn, rummage for change in the bottom of your purse to feed a meter, hastily zip hoodies onto both kids who are now confused and excited as to what has come over their mother. Sprint hand-in-hand-in-hand across a parking lot, down some stairs, then flip off everyone’s shoes and balance them in all your fingers. Encourage everyone to sink their toes in the sand, run faster and harder with the kids now yelling ‘Mom! Mom! Are we really HERE?’

And stand breathlessly at the edge of the world just in time to see the sun sink into the Pacific.

It's possible we just ditched the party for some soul love

If there is one thing being sick has taught me, it is to live in the moment. Remember tomorrow it could all be gone. Remember what is important as much as you can over the course of your regular, boring, routine of a day.

Say I love you, tell them how much they mean to you. Make sure you are there to show them the ocean, the stars, the flower on the side of the road as you drive on by.

Sing a silly song while stuck in traffic. Make up a secret handshake. Curl up next to your partner in the dead of night and kiss him softly while he sleeps, whispering how much you love him. Make a big deal of the tooth fairy, of a field trip, over his tiny act of helping his sister pick up toys.

Be proud, truly beam, and cheer with the kids, tears of joy in your eyes, as he crosses the finish line of a race. A race he didn’t train for correctly because he was caring for you and the family.

Encourage her to wear that princess dress to the store, and help her pick out shoes to match.

Tickle fight on the couch. Share made-up words at dinner.

And when faced with seeing a glint of blue out of the corner of your eye through traffic, always…ALWAYS whip the car around.

Park.

And breathlessly, barefooted, and giggling…chase that sunset.

35 thoughts on “Detour”

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  7. Jillian

    That’s precisely what I love about writing, it makes you live in the moment more and appreciate every nuance that occurs throughout the day.

    What is one memory that your child brings up? My now 11 yr. old boy never forgets one summer night when I woke him up, only him, wrapped him in blankets and took him outside to watch the stars. “Let’s do that again some day,” he asks, and we will…soon.

  10. Barnmaven

    Lovely.

    Last night I eschewed my computer time to play Go Fish with my kids and had one of the best Saturday nights I’ve had in months. These are the moments we take with us into eternity.
    .-= Barnmaven´s last blog ..A Breakfast Poem =-.

  18. Momo Fali

    I could call you some really bad names right now, because damn, woman. The tears.

    Maybe it’s because I just left the hospital and my aunt’s bedside, where she is lying there not knowing if she will ever again breathe fresh air or see an ocean.

    Good for you for seizing the moment.

  23. Sprite

    Sometimes we have to go through the “being sick” part to get to the “really appreciating everything” part ~ and impulsively loving the magic in life with all your heart. Awesome moment, Erin.

    Awesome, truly, truly awesome. Do you know how lucky your kids are to have YOU for a mom? They are, you know.

    *love* ~ Sprite
    .-= Sprite´s last blog ..Political Reform- Blonde Style =-.

  25. Loralee

    Thanks for putting this in perspective. I’ve struggled a bit with it lately. You would think that I would never EVER take this for granted, considering the things I’ve had happen in my life, but that is the plight of humanity…we often lose our way, get wrapped up in the non-important and have to be oft reminded to pull our heads out and smell the roses before it’s too late.
    .-= Loralee´s last blog ..This post was supposed to be ALL about Veteran’s Day- but it got a little sillyLike alwaysSigh =-.

  26. Val

    The last few years of losses have taught me to live with no regrets. I may not end up rich at this moment, but my kids are having a blast as we run off to the ocean mid-week with Dad because no one has anything pressing in their schedule.

    An impromptu trip to Portland with my Aunt and her grandaughter (too young for me to think of her as a cousin) will leave me with no sleep, but a heart full of memories.

    I’m blessed to have a husband that understands these needs and agrees 110% with the notion seeing as he deals with everyone’s worst nightmares everyday as a fireman/emt. It’s all about today and I’m working hard at making every day count in my book as well. It feels wonderful.

    SIDENOTE: crank the stereo in the car and dance with the kids at a light. Even my quieter son loves doing this. We dance crazy in our seatbelts and make everyone around us laugh hysterically. It’s great. Although hard to drive when you laugh that hard. lol
    .-= Val´s last blog ..Hey- Random Sunday Two Weeks =-.

  29. mommymae

    i hope i can remember this when the time is right, for therein lies the crux. doing it and not just thinking about it. i’m glad you threw off your shoes.

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  33. Bryony Boxer

    Thank you for this. I think as long as you’re healthy (or think you are!) you do forget to live in the moment. You get caught up in day to day stuff, in a busyness that’s really unimportant. So these reminders are important.

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