The older and busier I get, the more I treasure moments of simplicity. It is one of the reasons I love being a nanny - it reminds me that some of the greatest joys are in the simplest things, and they are not to be overlooked. It is easy to be busy, jaded, and selfish, but taking in the simple moments is humbling and refreshing. Tonight I was stressing about the direction in my life after college and upset over some of the ways people treat each other when I heard the kids out in the back yard. I went downstairs to check it out and saw Adam, Rachel and the kids making s'mores. They invited me to join them, which of course I eagerly did. My phone was upstairs, so there was no distraction or intrusion of the outside world on our little gathering. We sat out there making s'mores and talking about the stars and the way fire works. Ramona and I did shadow puppets with the flashlights and we looked at the moon. Milo kept looking up at the sky saying "More..stars?" I feel so blessed to have these kids and this family in my life at this point in my life to remind me that really, love and wonder are really all you need, and so long as you don't forget to enjoy little things, you are never far from contentment and joy in the exact moment you are in.
This is one of my favorite songs, and it has been haunting me a lot this semester. It is the kind of song I hope for my life to sound like as it echos through eternity.
This is one of my favorite songs, and it has been haunting me a lot this semester. It is the kind of song I hope for my life to sound like as it echos through eternity.
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
And my favorite verse - whirling and turning.
Psalm 30:11-12You did it: you changed wild lament
into whirling dance;
You ripped off my black mourning band
and decked me with wildflowers.
I’m about to burst with song;
I can’t keep quiet about you.
God, my God,
I can’t thank you enough.
