A Simple Conversation

My theme this month has been joy. But this week the subset theme (although I didn't plan it that way) has been about taking time for yourself. The joy that can happen when you're not rushing from one place to the next.

Which is why today's post took me by surprise.

Because yesterday I was rushing. It was after dinner and I had just coaxed Child #2 out the door and into cleats for a baseball game. Child #1 wanted to stay home and hang out with me.

"Okay," I told her. "But I have a lot to get done. You can just follow me around and talk to me while I finish things."

And she did.

We went to Trader Joe's where she weighed the benefits of chocolate soy milk in a box. "I hear it tastes like soda, mom! I think we should try it."

While we were waiting in the check out line she conveyed some important information she'd learned at school. "You'll never guess what Veronica told Rebecca and Rebecca told Lauren and Lauren told Quinn and Quinn told Iris and Iris told me." She was right. I would never have guessed the content of the gossip or that ten year old girls really talk like that.

We went to the library where I had to return overdue books. "Umm, Mom, why is water dripping from the front seat?"

I discovered the offending water bottle and we made a pact not to tell daddy. "I probably didn't put the lid on tight enough," I told her.

"No," she said. "I'm sure it was me."

I handed her a cookie and told her the leaky water bottle wasn't her fault. "Mom, does anyone not like your blog?" she asked from the backseat.

"If they do I don't hear about it."

"But maybe they do and you don't know. I hope you don't mind all the questions but I call this an interview. Just try to give me your honest thoughts."

I gave her my honest thoughts as we drove home.

While I folded laundry and swept grass off the front steps she told me about the change in field day protocol and asked if I found it strange that "Peeta is the baker's son and pita is ALSO a kind of bread. Do you think she planned it that way on purpose mom?"

Eventually, as all good things do, our interlude ended. Child #2 and my husband came home from the baseball game and we all went about the business of a school night.

But later, as I was going to bed, it occurred to me how a simple conversation in the midst of routine day has the capacity to deliver an immense amount of joy.