Remember the last day of school? Our books had been turned in, our desks had been cleaned out and everyone was electric with happiness! Even the teachers were in a good mood! We waited for the bell to ring for the last time!
Then we were off! So giddy with joy we were practically floating as we walked out the doors and into what was always the brightest sunny day with the freshest air! We were free! Free for 3 months! Almost an eternity in kid time!
3 whole months of going barefoot, riding bikes, swimming, sno-cones, hot-dogs, fireworks, swimming, kick-the-can, catching fireflies, and swimming!
It was like the Emerald City was spread out before us! (minus the wicked witch and the scary monkeys!)
So much time! Some days we would just lay in the grass and (get eaten alive by chiggers) and watch the clouds roll by and dream and imagine.
"look! that one looks like the number 3! I really hate math!"
"oh, look at that one! it looks like a puppy! I want to be a veternarian when I grow up and have about 10 dogs!"
"ew! that one looks like Mrs. Mahoney! She's mean! I hope I don't get her next year!"
"do you see that dinosaur! wouldn't it be fun to live in dinosaur times!"
Time moved nice and slow when you're a kid and you were always wishing it away. My birthday is SO FAR away! Christmas will NEVER get here! Why do I have to wait an ENTIRE HOUR before I go swimming! That's TOO LONG! I can't wait THAT LONG!
That soon turns into "I can't wait to grow up! go to college! get a job! get married! have kids!" Then the kids milestones couldn't come fast enough! sit-up/crawl/walk/potty train(please!please!please!)go to school/loose a tooth.
Then we want it to slow down time so we can savor every precious moment, but it's too late.
By now we are in the revolving door of motherhood. It's endless days of getting the kids up/dressed/to school then off to work/run an errand at lunch then pick up the kids/drop them off at practice/squeeze in a workout/fix dinner/help with homework/work on a project/get everyone into the tub/read a story/tuck in and kiss goodnight/lather/rinse/repeat.
Then the kids are grown and we want to slow down time again.
I didn't read a magazine or watch evening TV for about 20 years. But I didn't miss those things.
What I missed was stopping for 10 seconds to step up and down on a curb just because it was there on the way in the grocery store (gotta hurry up so we can get home), stopping for 10 seconds on a quick walk around the block to listen to a tree full of birds sing and squawk (gotta get home and get dinner), stopping for 10 seconds to watch a squirrel bury an acorn out back(gotta get inside and start baths) stopping for a split second to look up and see that the clouds in the sky look like cotton balls.
Have you seen the flickr gallery? It's awesome-sauce! In case you missed it, this month's theme is "the sky's the limit!" You have put some beautiful skies there! Don't stop! We are loving it!
Don't forget to tag your Instagram sky shots with #myskyshot.
In the meantime, I'll be barefoot, out back laying in the grass (with a blanket and some bug spray!) watching the clouds roll by.
I might see a dinosaur.
"Only from the heart can you touch the sky.”
Jalal ad-Din Rumi
xo,
12 comments:
It's true, Linda. Every word you've written here is true. I look at my now grown daughter with her grown up challenges and wonder where the years have gone. I look at my almost-5-year old granddaughter and say, "Don't grow up so fast!" Slow down ... watch the dinosaurs in the sky. Yes.
xo
Dotti
Such a beautiful and poignant post, Linda! I remember doing this as a child, again with my own kids and now with my grandkids. Yes, time goes by way to fast! Your sky photo is absolutely gorgeous! Heading out to see my baby graduate from law school (leaving in 10 minutes) but wanted to stop in and enjoy your wonderful post!
You painted it exactly as I remember it. The only thing you forgot was mud pies, (with pebble chocolate chips and green grass icing, left to dry on the shed roof), and reading or soul searching with best friends while sitting up in the apple tree.
Aren't those of us lucky, who had such wonderful childhoods? I think it helped give birth to our creativity.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Congratulations Terri! Takes after the old hubby, huh? Have a great celebration!
Safe and happy journey to you and your family, Terri ... and congrats to that son of yours!
Linda, you just totally took me back to my childhood! And Carol I totally remember mud pies! My sister and i were gourmet backyard chefs.
Beautiful sky shot!
Congrats to you and your son, Terri! I know you will be having a wonderful time!!
This post almost makes me cry! As I'm getting older the time is flying faster!! I know you've heard that saying before, but let me tell you it's true!! Minutes are much more precious now than when I was younger!
Carol, I certainly remember the mud pies, but more often we made stone soup, which is probably just a runnier version of mud pies!!
I love this post...so many memories of times past, so many happy memories of summertime and so many times wishing my life away....oh if only I would have slowed down a bit and enjoyed the many moments that are now long gone.
hi Linda, everything you say is so true, i love your post and always enjoy reading your blog. All you woman are so talented and so inspiring! such beautiful clouds!
Ms Linda
I was definable a cloud watcher,and spent numerous hours finding the angel or dragon!
As I read your post I kept saying "uh huh!" what memory makers!
Love your cloud filled sky.
Hugs
Claudia
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