Moments Worth Living For

My world has been crazy lately.  I give neither work nor my children my full attention and always feel like both want more from me.   I actually get homesick sometimes, because I spend so little time at home.

I can waste time wondering if I'm doing the "right thing."  Whatever that is.  How do you really know?  You take signs as they come and try to interpret them to the best of your ability, but no one has a letter confirming, "Yes, this is just the right way."

But isn't that sort of what life is supposed to be?  If it was all scripted and spelled out, then it wouldn't be living, would it?  The most beautiful surprises happen at random and unexpected moments.  The trick is recognizing them and enjoying them as they come.

So in the middle of my crazy, busy, corner of the world some nice things happened too.

-Tonight, Molly read Granny Torrelli Makes Soup to Anna and I (and Biscuit) in front of a cozy fire.  Sharon Creech is the master of characters.  And fires on cold, snowy evenings and cuddling with family are  the most relaxing thing in the world.
-Anna asked me to please go out and hike in the back woods in the snow with her because "it looks like Narnia!"  So I crawled under snow laden tree tunnels and witnessed the magic Anna saw.
-I made a batch of perfect chocolate chip cookies.
-My co-worker stole me away for lunch out one day this week, knowing I needed to laugh and be mothered a little bit.  It was just the medicine I needed.  I also watched her diffuse a client's hostility with such grace and love that it took by breath away.
-I almost cancelled coffee with a friend due to busyness, but at the last minute decided to make the time.  She looked me straight in the eye and asked, "How are you?" and I burst into tears. And I left feeling listened to and loved.
-I found an assignment in Anna's backpack that floored me with its sweetness. 
-My mother-in-law came for a few days and did kind little things for me like notice that the kids' toothpaste was almost out, and that Biscuit needed a long walk, and that the trash needed to be emptied, and that my dry cleaning needed picked up.
-We had a rare spring-ish day last Saturday, and walked around Skaneateles.  We had a lovely lunch with Grandma on the sun porch at The Sherwood Inn. We poked around The Paris Flea, which has an inspiring  collection of new and old things. Molly talked me into buying her The Elegance of The Hedgehog at Creekside Books & Coffee. She didn't have to do much talking, actually.  I am a total pushover when it comes to books. The lake is always enchanting, no matter the season nor the weather. 
-Molly introduced me to a violin concerto I was unfamiliar with that was so lovely that I got lost in it. 

There were so many other moments.  Biting into a perfectly ripened pear.  Noticing the forms of all the individual snowflakes piling up on my coat sleeve. How cold and smooth and pink Anna's little cheeks are when she comes in from playing outside. Enough that, if I think about it, drown out the moments when I feel stressed or inadequate.