*this was written in April of 2020*

She won’t remember these days, but I will.

The days of uncertainty that make me want to hold onto her a bit tighter.

The days of being on top of each other which also makes me want space from her.

The days when the collective mind is in a state of panic and the only thing she’s thinking about is the pool on our small patio or chocolate chip pancakes.

She doesn’t know the difference between a working society and a quarantine.

A picnic in the back of a trunk is just as much of an adventure as some time at the park.

She might sense a shift, or some tension, but I can tell that in these quiet moments she’s actually thriving.

She’s been given the opportunity to slow down, just as we all have.

I feel like that’s not something many kids are given these days.

We pack our (and their) schedules with activities and lessons and things to do so that we can feel like we’ve done our part in keeping them engaged.

But why?

Is it so that we can feel better about ourselves as parents?

Perhaps slowing their schedules down will allow them to learn about the beauty in these ordinary/mundane moments.

We can rewrite what it means to be a family, play at home, create new art, and be together.

We’ve been given this opportunity as a chance to search for a new perspective, and we’re navigating this experience hand in hand.

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