July 21, 2011

The simple things.

Going to soccer games and eating hot dogs and cheering and jeering for 2 hours.
Riding bikes to the park and climbing and swinging and sliding for (what seems like) hours on end.
Collecting fireflies on warm summer nights while waiting for the magical music of the ice cream truck.
Swimming in dirty lakes.
Eating ice cream from old mom and pop stands.
Blowing out birthday candles while family stand around smiling and looking at you.
Opening a few, small gifts.
Family meals on Sunday at the grandparents.
Playing with cousins every weekend.
Stopping for McDonald’s on the way home from the grandparents’ on  Sunday nights.

But then Mama and Papa fight and separate, and Papa’s living elsewhere and Mama is different and never home, and Sissy and Brother are always out, too. So then the simple things change:

Someone is actually home when you go to bed.
The electricity is on to allow some TV time.
Mama makes dinner: warm baked beans with corn bread.
A warm bath.
Weekends with only Papa and eating out, visiting Nonna, going go-carting and playing mini-golf, etc.
 
Then you move so much that you end up at four different high schools. The simple things change, yet again:

Meeting your nephew for the first time.
Someone in class actually talks to you and looks you in the eye.
Movies, concerts with a friend.
That feeling you get when you look at him, when your eyes meet.
Hugs from people who care.
Drunken nights with your BFF/cousin.
 
Now you’re in your 20’s and have a college degree but it’s not a fancy one and it’s hard to find a job. Simple things become:

Hugs and kisses and jibber jabber from nieces and nephews.
Helping a child to spell and read and ride a bike.
Renting out your own apartment.
 
Next up is your 30’s; you’ve got a man by your side now and life is finally being lived… for you. The simple things:

Quiet evenings together watching TV, playing video games.
Holding hands.
Walking down the aisle with Papa by your side and Mama sitting proudly up front.
Watching everyone eat and dance and laugh and party on your wedding day.
Feeling your unborn baby kick.
Hearing her cry out for the first time.
Holding her.
Looking at her.
Seeing her smile.
Hearing her giggle.
Watching her discover.
Seeing her crawl.
Watching her stand on her own.
Cheering as she takes a step.
Catching her as she runs into your arms.
Her crazy hair.
Her big brown eyes.
Hearing her say, “Mama.”
Hearing her say, “Wuv you.”

9 comments:

  1. I love how you wrote this...giving us a glimpse into your childhood and beyond.
    Beautiful post :)

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  2. This is a beautiful post. I love you!

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  3. i too love how you wrote this. you took the time to organize it in a way that we could relate too. good job!

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  4. I was holding back tears reading this post. Maybe I emotional I have been holding back tears reading lots of post latley. Anyhow I loved it! So great how you told about the simple things as you changed.

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  5. wow. thanks so much, guys!! i'm super glad you guys are liking it! :)

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  6. I love this and I love getting to know you in this way. Did you really go through all that? Big hugs, mama.

    XO, peeper

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  7. This is why I love exercises like these. You find out people's histories, what life has been like for them, what they've endured. Glad you seem to have regained some of that childhood simple things happiness though.

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  8. I love this. It speaks to how we evolve over time but, distilled to its core, our greatest needs and pleasures remain to be found in the love and company of family and friends.

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