We love our morning bus stop time.
Today it is eight months since the Tornado started the Garten of the Kinder.
Some days it feels as though she’s always been in school, but most days I still miss my sidekick.
I pine (yep. dropping the p-word.) so much I had a fleeting notion we mightcould need more children up in herre.
(Ill let you digest that for a moment)
Beyond the fact Im older than the hills Ill be 43 in three months, I realize it’s HER I miss.
Her spirit. Her spunk. Her attitude.
But I digress.
Seriously.
That’s not what this post is about.
Lets return to the morning bus stop time pictured above.
We. Have. The. Best. Morning. Routine. Ever.
We’re early risers so we’ve plenty of time to do our ‘morning necessities’ and still git our PLAYout on.
We jump rope. We Skip It. We play tag. We play duck duck goose. You get the idea.
By the time the bus arrives it practically feels as though we’ve had an entire day together (we up EARLY).
Because of this, when the Tornado asks as the bus arrives: can you stay for the second wave? I panic a bit in my too-long-to-do-list-must-get-to-work-bus-comes-BACK-at-330p heart.
You see, the second wave requires I stand & wait while the bus loops around, picks up other kids, and when as it passes again Im there.
To wave.
For a second time.
I’m not embarrassed to say (even with my off-track yammerings about missing her) most days my answer is no.
I skip the second wave so I can work.
I pass on the second opportunity to flail my arms to return emails.
I give her a shrug & a sorry so I can begin my writing a mere 5 minutes earlier.
And, each time I tell her NO, she says “OK Mama!” & climbs on the bus.
No whining. No pouting. No glimpse of the two and three year old whose meltdowns very nearly wore me out.
And this made me happy. And proud. And think how amazingly grown-up & mature she’d become.
Until it occurred to me, on the 123rd day of living my priorities, the mom who skipped the second wave was not who I aspired be this year.
Do I really need a five minute head start on work? (No. I fritter away more than that during my day. I can steal the 5 minutes back from somewhere else.)
Is anything I “need” to do during the day more important than stopping, waiting & waving one more time when I know in a few short years she’ll be *begging* me not to do the first wave?
The answer, for me, is a resounding no.
Im aware how fortunate I am to work from home (& if I forget my troll informs me. she be helpful that way).
Im up-at-the-crack working & up late at night writing—yet I have the luxury of being able to live my priorities.
Today, day 124, these priorities include starting to stay for the second wave.
Im also closing the comments.
I know the collective-you dont adore that, yet I also know when they’re open people feel compelled or obligated to leave some thoughts.
I’d much rather you snag those same five minutes and spend them on your second wave.
Whatever form said ‘wave’ takes in your life.