Friday, May 05, 2006

In The Moment

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Inchworm, Inchworm,
Measuring the marigolds
Doing your arithmetic
You’ll probably go far …
Inchworm, Inchworm,
Measuring the marigolds
Seems to me you’d stop and see
How beautiful they are.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


In his usual pattern, Incrediboy wanted to go out and play after dinner last night. I had a hundred chores and was not in the mood. But I sat the dishes and laundry aside for later and went out in the back yard with him.

I was distracted last night, with many things on my mind. I have a trip to my parents’ house to get to this weekend, which I really don’t have time for. I need to wrap up the books before the trip there too. My sister-in-law, soon to be sister-OUT-law, is having a birthday next week and I really should get a card to send her since she still remembers all of us and sends gifts at holiday time. I’m overdue for my annual exam and I still need to find a new doctor since my old one retired. MBDog loves to drink out of the nasty stagnant rainwater puddle by the woodpile despite the fact that he has ample fresh water in his bowl, and now has a case of diarrhea to show for it that doesn't seem to be going away on its own. I thought about when we can get him into the vet. I milled over items for the weekly grocery run. I constructed a list of tasks I needed to address at the office in the morning.

Things of that nature. Things that make just enough noise in your head that you get in an absorbed thought zone and miss the details of the moment.

I turned these thoughts around in my brain as I absentmindedly pushed Incrediboy on the swing and we ran around and threw hoops on the basketball court and checked out all the usual stops in our yard.

Then, as Incrediboy scaled the rungs of the slide, he stopped and said, “Oh, LOOK! A WEURM!” I snapped out of my mental agenda and looked at where his little finger indicated. He was pointing to a tiny inchworm – make that half-inch worm :) – making its way up the side of the ladder. It was no bigger around than a pine needle, and its smooth, bright green body stood out vibrantly against the weathered gray timber of the swing set. Upon closer examination, I could see a butter colored line down its back, flanked in inky black pinstripes so thin they were was barely visible. He was a cute little guy.

Incrediboy informed me that his name was Slimy.

We watched Slimy for a while. He’d scooch a few times, raise his front end and wave it about madly and then settle it down again before repeating the move. Incrediboy was delighted. I placed my finger in front of Slimy. He climbed on and traversed his way along the side of my hand. He was so light that I couldn’t even feel him. Incrediboy squealed and insisted we go show Daddy.

We took Slimy to the barn, where Daddy was busy building shelves. Daddy stopped to see and was duly impressed. Incrediboy beamed, lapis eyes shining with excitement. We all decided to put Slimy back where he was, so he could go home to his family.

The evening’s activities commenced as they had before, but thanks to our little inchworm friend, I had switched gears.

The spring breeze, almost sickening-sweet with honeysuckle, danced across our skin and through our hair. I breathed the delicious smell in deep, until I could feel it in my blood. I became aware of the feeling of the grass as I sat at the base of the slide for Incrediboy to leap upon me when he reached the bottom. Cool. Scratchy. Dotted with remnants of the morning’s gentle rain. The faint smell of damp earth beneath. I heard the lush leaves whisper overhead in the wind’s path. Leaves which hadn’t yet burst out only a week or so before. As I lay back in our backyard meadow in between slides, I watched the thin film of clouds over our heads. They swirled gently and delicately, as if God were idly stirring cream in His coffee cup. Birds danced and shrieked in the air overhead. I felt heat roll off of MBDog as he did a fly-by, chuffing like a steam engine.

Incrediboy grabbed my thumb and drug me off to his next point of interest. His little hands were both warm and cool at the same time. I hadn’t noticed that before. His laughter released a swarm of butterflies in my heart.

My concerns of earlier were far, far away. I was only in the moment. And it was a pretty amazing place to be.

22 comments:

Ame said...

You are a good, wise Mommy :) It is difficult to learn to live in the moment with our children, but the dividends are eternal. Can you imagine his beautiful dreams last night? Of Mommy and Daddy oooing and ahhhing over his amazing discovery!?! Awesome! You GO Mom!!!

Rhonda said...

Incrediboy is living a very wonderful life.

This was just lovely.

Joy said...

"as if God were idly stirring cream in His coffee cup"

I love the way you described the clouds overhead.
Clew, you are a great mom! You make things seem so magical for your Incrediboy. I hope to do the same if I ever become a mom. :)

chesneygirl said...

I also have been very preoccupied with life's busyness and have been neglecting playtime with my son.

I need to do as you did last night more often.

"His laughter released a swarm of butterflies in my heart" you have a lovely way of putting things....you are right tho, my sons laughter does the same thing to me! :)

Nelly said...

Leave it to Mikey! Nice comment! LOL!

I did almost the exact same thing last night...Just finished off dinner and wanted to clean up. That is the one thing I like to clean up everyday...MY kitchen. Right away the kids wanted to go outside. There is no way I could say no. I kept looking around the house, dirty socks scattered about, crumbs underneath the table, messy counters, etc. Such a sty sometimes I can't stand it and want a maid! Whose got the money for that though?

So we went in the back and princess is enthralled by her swing these says so she immediately ran to it repeating the words, "I wanna schwing." Just slightly lifting her heals off the groud as to say pick me up now! My son was running around wildly just having a ball without a care in the world. Hubby was cutting the grass in the front and the smell of freshly cut grass was all around. I took a deep breath just as the wind was blowing and just like you mentioned Clew, all of my thoughts of cleaning disappeared and just brought me back to reality. The important thing at that moment was my kids and spending quality time with them that they so desperately crave and that I needed without even know it.

We all need moments like this in our lives to remind us once in awhile that the most important things in our lives are the people in it, not the material/other things. We've got to remember to "stop and smell the roses" every day, not just once in awhile.

Speckledpup said...

sweetest thing I've read today.

you have a great way with words.

happy weekend my friend.

The Pup.

Bainwen Gilrana said...

This reminded me of playing with my brother when he was little.

His pet earthworm was named Turkey.

Ruth Dynamite said...

You've inspired me to go outside and watch ants with my son. Thanks for a great reminder, Incredimom.

Unknown said...

Good writing.

Martie said...

See Clew, I told you that you are a great mom!

Cheryl said...

This might possibly be my very favorite post of yours EVER. The writing is beautiful, and the moment you describe so very real. And it makes me want to come and visit you and Incrediboy and your hub and take My Boy to see the inchworm and your barn while we drink coffee. I love it.

Anonymous said...

isn't it amazing how the tinies things can make you look at the world differently?

Saur♥Kraut said...

Oh bravo! Beautifully written. I've been there, too. My son makes me feel as if there are no more worries at all, as long as I can spend time with him.

Anonymous said...

WOW!! How great a change with just a small thing being introduced into your life at just the right moment. The way you descibed the inchworm made me think of how great God is. He "painted" the inchworm all of those colors and gave us the ability to see and notice all of those little details. Thank you for reminding me how great a God we serve.

IHS, Craig

bigwhitehat said...

Simple things are amazing.

Anonymous said...

You captured me with the moment and your writing ability. Great post.

Anonymous said...

Hello Friend. Thanks for remembering me even though I have been MIA on blogger lately:)

Anonymous said...

That is what the sauna does for me. It clears my mind and allows me to relax and enjoy the moment.

Lainey said...

God can use an inchworm!

simply beautiful, Clew

Have a blessed week

Rebecca said...

Those are my favorite moments Clew.... Getting caught up in the innocence of the moments of the simpler things in life. I think it's one of the most beautiful gifts our children can give to us; I never quite understand the parent that can't appreciate those times.

Michelle said...

I think I have to retrain my brain from interacting with older kids to a young one again. To look for wonder through Drew's eyes.

Ame said...

fyi - I was able to respond to your comment on my blog - thank you for taking the time . . .