Do you like to reminisce? Do you like to talk to other
people about the good old days? Our son Khomer loves to reminisce. Sometimes,
it is about something that happened a couple of years ago. Sometimes it
happened the day before. At least once a
day, he will say to me “Mom, do you remember when…” and he recounts a
random memory he has about something. Here are a few of his recent “Do you
remember whens”:
“Mom, do you remember when we stood at window watching the
rain and we saw the lightning hit the tree?”“Mom, do you remember when I jumped out and scared you and you screamed and then you chased me around the living room?”
“Mom, do you remember when I called Donny “Bunny”?” (His nickname for our cousin…he thinks Donny sounds like bunny.)
“Mom, do you remember when I saw the geese in the driveway and called them gusses?”
“Mom, do you remember when I ate the fish’s eye at dinner and you thought it was really gross?”
Do you notice a trend in the things he likes to reminisce
about with me? They are the little things. The little every day things. Not the
time we flew to Florida and went to Disney World. Not the time we flew to
California and went to LegoLand. Not the birthday party we had for him at
SkyZone with all of his friends. Not the presents that he had under the tree
last year at Christmas. Not the Cardinal’s games downtown.
He gets it, my friends. I know he doesn’t even realize it,
but he gets it. He knows what is important. He waited 10 years for a forever
family, and so the little things are what matter most. Not the vacations,
birthday parties, or material things. The little everyday moments we share as a
family are what matter most to him. Those are what he treasures. Sometimes I
don’t initially even remember the stories he recounts to me. He has to remind me of them.
When he stayed with us for three weeks a couple of summers ago as part of the summer hosting program, we took him to the zoo, a Cardinal’s game, the Arch, the park, and the pool. At the end of the three weeks, I asked him where his favorite place was to go in St.Louis. He replied, “Home.” He just liked being at home with us the best.
In the end, the little things are really the big things. Every
day, this beautiful eleven year old boy helps ME remember what is important. He
helps remind me to try to be fully present when I am with my children, and to
treasure and enjoy the little things. What a wonderful, beautiful gift.
Thanks for reading…gotta run! |
| My two youngest reading together. |
