I wake up at 6:45 am, a bit early for a Saturday morning. Stephen and Willi are sound asleep as I make my way down the hall to the kitchen. I make decaf and sit down to write in my morning pages book. A stream of names of people I need to write or phone come through my hand onto the page.
Johanna, my dearest cousin, gave birth on Thursday to a healthy baby girl. Mother and daughter are happy and healthy I am told. My uncle and aunt are happy to be grandparents at last. Everyone is rejoicing at the birth of our new family member.
My life, as I figure it sometimes, is just about half over. Here is a new family member just starting out in the world. I can’t help but be reminded of my own mortality at times like this…when this girl is my age, if I’m lucky…I will be an old man.
Why did I just have images of Kindergarten and the smell of Elmer’s glue on orange construction paper flash through my mind? Cut out paper snowflakes and the taste of apple juice in Dixie cups seem to be coming up; my favourite blanket, which my mother lovingly gave me to take to Kindergarten to take naps on. A tiny piece of home...my safety blanket for the big wide world. What is life but a dance of wanting to go out into the world and at the same time just wanting to go home to someone who will wipe our misunderstood tears away from our faces.
Inside each one of us, is our original self. Kindergarten reminds me of that essential self. The things I loved then are still the things I love now. It’s important to remember who we really are underneath all the things we’ve become. That is where home is…and some days…like today, I just want to go home.
And so a new day begins…
Welcome to the world new baby!
Congradulation to the parents and the famely!
Mark, you did bring some fun memories about that orange paper the crafty stuff was so much fun!!
I would like to add the eggs boxes, the toilet paper roles and that white glue...and without forgetting the papier macher....mmmmmmmmm fun!!
Have a great day!
Here is warmer this morning....-7.....ahhhhhhhhh!
i ahve no witty or profoudn thoughts to share. i do want to say thank you tho for sharing your self as you do, your thoughts often validate my own, or remind me to look at the world differently. Gentle reminders that mean alot to me.
thank you for sharing a part of your self Mark, it does make a difference, at least to one.
min
Yet another morsel of truth and wisdom. And a very timely one at that. Thanks Mark :)