A Little Truth on Tuesday

I'm not exactly sure what to make of this day. It's eerily windy and oddly warm. We can expect gusts up to 60 mph for the next 24 hours, and we are currently under a tornado watch. Temperatures will be dropping some time this morning. Right now the sun is peaking out of rather ominous, fast-moving cloud cover. I have the patio doors wide open. The whipping wind sounds so bitter and biting, but it's mild, moist and muggy. I cannot make up my mind... should I hole up at home? Do I venture out to explore?

I don't care much for indecision. I like a list, prefer a plan, find agendas agreeable. There's comfort in knowing what I am to do when, and where I am to be whether I like it or not. There just is. But along with all the 'to dos' I also schedule the 'to bes,' and there's always room for spontaneity. Let's face it...what's on today's list can easily be transferred to tomorrow's. Things are busy in the Casa Wags, but not chaotic because I don't believe in over scheduling. Not myself...not my kids. I think the very best feeling at the end of the day is knowing that I accomplished some things I needed to and some things I wanted to. Give and take...bend don't break. It's a valuable life lesson I'm continually relearning.

I really get sick and tired of hearing people complain about how busy they are. They boast about it like it's some coveted badge of honor...a sickening status symbol. I've done it myself and I know I'll do it again, but I also know that I'll hear what I'm saying and stop the insanity. My happiest memories growing up were simple and mostly shared at home: Sunday dinner at my Grandma's, games of Yahtzee around the kitchen table, racing my Big Wheel down the driveway, baking with my brother...the little things - albeit big littles in the grand scheme of this life.

I can tell that my kids already feel this too. They get it. It was a fantastically full weekend for every member of the family. Bit scored her first new school play date of the year (a post onto itself), went to the movies and had a sleepover with an old friend, and attended a Halloween party too. T. Bone had football, invited a new friend over for the afternoon, spent the night with old friends and went to a Halloween party (sans costume). Hubby and I had exercise, chores, couples' bowling, and family over for Sunday night football. The whole family had church. The thing is... both T. Bone and Miss Bit came home early from Sunday's Halloween party because they wanted to. They were done, and they needed some down time. OK...OK...she also needed pizza, and he needed to watch football with some serious fans, but the point is the same: they wanted to be home just being with family.

My friend, who happened to be one of my Mom's dearest friends, called me this weekend. She was making her Sunday night dinner staple: spaghetti and meatballs. That ritual got her to thinking about sharing family dinners at the end of the week when she was growing up. Those were warm memories from her childhood...leftover hugs, if you will. She called to tell me how proud my Mom would be that my brother and I are keeping up the tradition of Sunday night family dinner (although often it ends up being Saturday, but that's a moot point really). She took the time to reach out to me and remind me that my kids will have many heartfelt memories from these gatherings. It's true...I know it's true, but the truth is that I do it as much for myself as for my children.

Life is best when we slow down, share, savor, sip, say it and open our eyes to truly see...our hearts to truly be. In this, I truly believe.