Coming home today, my mind was bogged down with all the stressful details of life like how I need to clean the house tomorrow and I don't really want to but if I don't I'll regret it and get overwhelmed by it later and the mortgage needs to be paid and the sitter, and what am I going to do about dinner?
This kind of thinking usually leads to more anxiety and this case was no different from the usual. I was stressed and irritated before I even pulled into the driveway where I was met by my two whining, pleading girls who wanted nothing more than to go swimming at the pool.
Swimming was the last thing I wanted to do. I was tired and hungry and just wanted to crash in front of a mindless TV show for the next few hours. But they wouldn't give in easily. Those cute little girls dressed themselves in their swimming suits then proceeded to dress their little brothers in their suits as well, gathered up the beach towels and even sprayed sun screen on the baby. So after all this, when they emerged from down stairs and held out my swimming suit and hit me with their big, beautiful, sad puppy eyes I was done for. We went swimming.
Ashton wanted to show me how she learned to turn summer saults under water. Brooke can swim in the deep end all by herself. I taught them both how to back float and the boys had a great time just splashing and playing in their float tubes. As I watched those beautiful kids having so much fun and so eager to show me all their new found talents, all my stressing seemed ridiculous. I remembered again how to forget and let go. Stop watching the clock and just enjoy the moment. I remembered what was truly important.
The kids and I all got lost in our play so deeply that when nine o' clock rolled around and the pool was closing down for the night it felt as if we'd been there only minutes.
We pulled ourselves out of the pool, and wrapped up in our towels, walked home feeling water logged and tired but our souls were energized. My mind was no longer bogged down with stress or fear, but felt cleansed and whole again. The children were calm now that they had wrestled away their restlessness. All of us were laughing, and happy. All of us felt joy, real true joy that comes from being with and playing with the people you know you want to be with and play with forever. We are a family.
