Moments before the pinata destruction began on July 4th.
We just got back from a couple of weeks on the East Coast. The trip involved CT, MA, NY, NJ, and PA (with most time spent in MA and PA). It was great to spend time with friends, converse for hours, and see so much green.
This year has been one to savor. If you look at Facebook or Instagram posts you can catch a glimpse of the year. Some people might say it is the groomed presentation of my year. The space between the posts has also been rich. Not because everything is perfect, but even in the mundane and chaotic there has been much beauty.
When a toddler has been pushed to his limits and has a meltdown, a real fall-on-the-floor-I-can’t-handle-it moment, it is such an insight into the human spirit. This is usually not a triumph of the human spirit that movies like to show, it is the the collapse of the human spirit that we all feel on occasion.
When a cold becomes croup, and you listen intently for each barking breath, then the fragility of life is real. You learn what it means to have a father’s heart.
This East Coast trip covered the spectrum of emotions. We celebrated victories, mourned losses, wrestled with challenges, anticipated changes, and laughed at the humor that managed to invade each crack. Life is beautiful in its messiness and complexity.
Now that we are back on the West Coast we are settling in for the rest of the summer. The main event for this summer is not a vacation; the main event for this summer is scheduled for August, when Baby Peanut is slated to arrive.
Now back to life between the posts. Making meals, changing diapers, washing dishes, and searching for the beautiful (that is right in front of me).
