We’ve really been enjoying the last weeks here – the summer is a time of refreshment and growth for us. We’ve been committed to both walking and/or doing Pilates in the evenings. Yesterday it was walking to the duck pond about ¾ mile from our apartment.
Last time we went to the pond Mia got frustrated with a goose that pinched her. This time, she was brave enough to actually feed a goose a bit of bread out of the palm of her hand! It was awesome to watch her courage grow.
On the way back there was a spot that just seemed to freeze in time. The sun was filtered beautifully through the trees just before dusk, the birds were singing crazy, happy tunes, and I could hear the general hum of people going about their daily lives – lawnmowers in the distance, air conditioning units turning on and off, dogs barking, children playing in the back yard. At the pond the ducks and geese were honking as they searched for more edible handouts.
Isaiah started out leading our little crew, then Mia began to holler, “Catch you, Daddy!” and took off. She caught him… and then was walking ahead of all of us, little shoulders squared and sturdy, step confident and assured, still slightly choppy in the way that a toddler moves, little blonde hairs curling up around her ears. It was a stunning picture of both activity and peace for me.
Then, Mia turned around and said, “Follow me, daddy! Follow me!”
I realized that I will follow her anywhere. I don’t know what the future holds, soccer games, piano recitals, school projects, relationships that falter and relationships that succeed… it’s a big mystery. But I do know that for as long as I am able I will be there to support that little girl, protect her when needed, and learn to let her go to fly and face her troubles as an adult. I will follow her, letting her choose her direction in as many areas as possible.
Being a type-A personality I find myself putting checks on how much I micromanage my children’s lives. I have to intentionally restrain myself from hovering too much, from trying to keep them from ever falling, getting bruised, hurt or anything else that I, in my own sense of right and wrong, see as detrimental. At the zoo I tell Mia that snakes are bad so that she has a healthy fear of the creatures… perhaps these are things that all mothers do and feel?
But I also realize that Maggie won’t learn that opening a cabinet door can be a bad thing until she closes it on her fingers and they are pinched. Mia won’t understand that you should only jump off of things with caution until she jumps from something too high and it gives her a good jar.
Altogether, in as much as the girls are following us as their parents, we are following them, trying to give them space to grow within boundaries.
As we were nearing the apartment at the end of the walk we spied a rabbit all stretched out under a tree. I pointed it out to Mia and she got very excited. Finally the rabbit became a bit nervous of our attention and hopped off, causing Mia to giggle and begin hopping herself.
“Bye, bye, Rabbit! See you Tuesday Minutes!” (Translation: Bye, bye rabbit – we’ll see you in a few minutes)
No comments:
Post a Comment