She's 8 today
and I'm ridiculously sad about that.
You see, today is her last day to be eight years old.
I've gotten a bit too busy with the "shoulds" again. Lately, I've done what I "should," doing what is right in front of me (the dishes), what is on the calendar (the ballerina's lessons), and what is urgent (guests visiting). I've also spent more than a bit of time on my little business.
"Mama, do you want to play Legos with me?" she asks. "Do you want to take a picture of me in the tree?" "Do you want to make something with me?" And, most often, "Mama, I got some paper ready. Do you want to come draw with me?"
Sometimes I do those things, but most of the time, I only stick around for a minute or two before dashing off to do something more important.
This evening, I grumbled to a friend about our little girl asking me to play with her.
I grumbled. about playing. with my little girl.
What in the world am I thinking?! Here I have the blessing of a beautiful little girl, a bright, healthy one, who is artistic, and funny, and giggly. I only have her for a moment, really, then she'll be grown and gone and....
....too busy for me.
Tonight, she wanted to chat before bed, but it was already midnight and we'd been out past ten at the parades and I was t i r e d and so I said, Baby, please. Please let me just say goodnight. "But I want to talk to you," she said, "I don't get to talk to you at night like [our teenagers] do."
And it hit me that she's feeling a bit neglected. Mind you, we homeschool and so we are literally with her almost every minute of every day, but she wants something more than physical presence. She wants a bit of attention, a listening ear, a mommy or brother or sister or daddy to play for a while.
Today is our little girl's last day to be eight. She said "people should always have the last day before a birthday be a special day, since you'll never be that old again."
So today shall. So it should be!
Accepting a child's invitation to play is the 3rd degree of my 360° Project. I hope you'll join me on this journey!
