Through a child's eyes

Yesterday was a fairly standard weekend day for our family. We lazed around a bit, popped in at the shops a bit, painted the garden wall a bit (falls under home maintenance which happens on most weekends), watched videos a bit, swam a bit. Really nothing glamourous or overly exciting. Bedtime is also usually a low-key event in our home.

Which is why it puzzled me so when I tucked my kids in bed last night and found my eldest with tears in her eyes.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

She bit her bottom lip. It was quivering, tears spilling over her gorgeous long lashes. Seeing her like that what absolutely heart-wrenching. Everything in me ached and longed to fix whatever horrible problem had thrown her into this emotional state. 

"I wish," she sniffed, "that today would still go on some more." Her body shuddered as she buried her wet face into my shoulder.

I held her close, rocked her and said "Tomorrow will be another day. Why are you so sad?"

"Because," she whispered, "today I had more fun than I have ever had. It was my nicest day."

To me it was just another day, to her it was her nicest one ever. What she had seen in it, I will never know, but she didn't want it to end.

I seldom long for a never-ending day. When supper's done and the dishwasher is whirring through its load, I am only too relieved that the day is over. All I want to do at the end of the day is fall into bed - don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't touch me - this shop is closed.

What T-bird was doing, I realise, is something beautifully characteristic of little children - Living In The Moment. Not caring about the exhaustions of yesterday or the responsibilities of tomorrow, but enjoying each moment in its perfect entirety. Holding onto the seconds, minutes and hours that make her happy.

Wish I could be more like that.