A Beautiful Spider Web !

Woke up this morning with a ‘to do list’ running in my head. It’s almost like my head is awake before the rest of me, and starts working on a ‘to do list’. And even before I open my eyes, there is a list ready for me to start working on.

It was the same this morning, except this was a Saturday and my head hadn’t worked that out yet.

I like to be awake before my daughter is, so that I get some work done at a faster pace and check off  most things on my list before she’s awake. But today she was awake about 5 seconds after I was, and came to me saying – ‘Mama, I’m hungry.’

I thought since it was a Saturday, I would spend some time playing with her in our bed before we start our day. So we talked and joked and tickled and laughed. She talked about what she saw in her dream and also some stories from her imagination. Though I did enjoy that morning time with her, my mind was a little elsewhere, wondering what I could give her for breakfast and other such stuff.

But I did enjoy that time we got, rolling about, making conversation with each other and with imaginary friends. And making up stories.

Finally it was time to roll off the bed and go brush our teeth. I thought I had done enough of entertaining for the morning, and decided to quickly brush her teeth and give her, her breakfast so I could get started with my ‘to do list’.

But when we got to the bathroom, to brush our teeth, guess what? My daughter declared that the tooth pastes were fighting with each other. It took a lot of calming down and negotiations from her and me to get the toothpastes to stop fighting with each other. And then the face wash and the hand wash decided they were tooth pastes too. And we had to convince them they weren’t toothpastes and could not be used on our toothbrushes. Followed by a story and song to get her to brush her teeth. Though a major part of me was sure enjoying this, there was also a small part of me that kept going ‘tick tock’ against my ‘to do list’.

Eventually we got to the kitchen and while eating and making dosas, my daughter admired the yellow leaves outside and commented on how the green leaves turn yellow. She’s been learning about autumn at school and keeps looking out for the changing colours and falling leaves. Two orchid flowers fell off from our plant today and she said they fell because it’s autumn! J

And after breakfast she wanted to play with playdough, and she wanted me to join in. So we sat together and made a lot of playdough characters. She had a name for each of these characters. There was Sisa and ZeeZee and one more whose name I kept forgetting and she had to correct me each time.  For some reason she wanted to make sure that every playdough character had a bed and a blanket. Maybe it’s the effect of the cold weather we are in. So we made these characters and made sure each of them had a bed and a blanket.

And then we made humpty dumpty and then we had to make a wall for him to sit on. And then sang ‘humpty dumpty’ for like, I don’t know how many times. But it was a lot of fun. A lot of laughing and singing.

And then we sang and danced for a while, before we decided to paint and colour. She loves playing with paints so I poured out a little bit of finger paints for her. She enjoyed playing with them.

About this time, she decided she wanted to go play with dad.  She gave me a big hug before running upstairs.

And you would think I went back to doing my ‘to do list’. But No, I didnt. My little girl taught me what it is like to just sit and enjoy and paint and create and imagine and admire. My ‘to do list’ was long forgotten and had long lost the battle against the Sisas and ZeeZees from a four year old’s world. But I had so much to cherish.

When she gave me a sticker and said – ‘Mom, you are amaaaaaazing’  (She pulled at the aaaaa), I could truly relish and cherish that moment. Instead of just savouring it for four seconds and running away to check another item off my list, I bent down and told her how much I appreciated that she thought that and how happy it made me feel. And I could enjoy the look on her face as I told her that.

When she said, ‘Mom, you like me’, I could actually sit and realise what that meant, as I looked into her big beautiful eyes. I love her ‘Mom, you like me’ more than ‘Mom, I like you’, because the former declares that she is aware of what I feel about her, whereas the latter is something I always already know. So I told her that I’m so glad you know that and that I will always always like her, regardless.

When she said ‘Mamma, you are mickey and I am your Minnie’, Oh that made my heart totally melt ! Minnie is her snuggle toy at her bed. So for her to call herself my Minnie, is something I really cherish.

It’s about 2 in the afternoon when I am writing this and no, I am yet to have even one item off my ‘to do list’ and that doesn’t bother me anymore, cos they can all wait.

Of all the blessings that my four year old has been to me, one of the biggest has been that she has taught me to slow down. Because when I slow down I see the beauty of life. This autumn is different because of her. She taught me spider webs are beautiful. If she sees a spider web, she has to stop and admire it. Now I find myself clicking pictures of spider webs.

She loves looking out of our windows. A tram ride with her (if she is not tired, that is) is an eye opener. She brings out the beauty and difference in things that have gone by, completely unnoticed by me.

So basically what I am trying to say is, Slow Down. A clean house, laundry, organising, work are all very important things, but not more than enjoying the people in our life, the beauty around us, and the joy in feeling unrushed and calm J.  A ‘to do list’ when completed only gives rise to another ‘to do list’. So sometimes it’s good to keep them waiting.

I am reminded of this story from the Bible about Martha and Mary. Martha was the one with a ‘to do list’, while Mary decided to sit at the feet of Jesus. And when Martha was annoyed with Mary and told Jesus about it, Jesus told her she was worried about many things but what Mary had chosen to do was the good part and more important.

So, I am off for a walk with my little one to spot more spider webs and lady bugs and have some blue ice cream (her favourite). And I hope and pray you discover the beauty and happiness in slowing down.  J

Psalm 90:12- Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 127:1, 2 - Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to[a] those he loves.

Mark 6:31 -  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Jeremiah 2:25a - “Slow down. Take a deep breath. What’s the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?