Stop to Taste the Rain

Its been another crazy and busy month in our household. We had two more birthdays in our family. Nate turned the Big 5, and well I got another year older too. No need to reveal my REAL age. Ha.

Speaking of age, I have to tell you something funny that Jenna said to me the day before my birthday. She was asking how old I was, and I asked her "Can I just pretend I am still 29?" Her reply was "But you aren't and that would be lying."

I paused and thought a moment. I mean, yes, honesty is the best policy and all of that, but isn't there room in their moral upbringing for a little "white" lie? And the lesson of when to affectively use it?

"What if I just stop having birthdays this year and then we won't count them anymore? That way when someone asks me how old I am, I can just say 'I have celebrated 34 birthdays."

Oops, I guess I just told ya how old I am. Hmph.

Anyways, Jenna tilted her head sideways and grinned. I could see she saw the sneakiness of my logic, but was approving. "But MOM, you are YOUNG... why don't we keep having your birthday until you are 59 and then you can stop," Jenna stated. I chuckled in response and asked why 59 was the magic age. "Because that is how old Nonna is [my mom] and she's still young too."

Wow, she was really buttering up two old gals today, wasn't she?

But really, that's just how Jenna views the world... she knows how to stop and enjoy the moment. Relish whatever stage you are at and not rush to the next one. She is a lot like me that way. Always looking ahead, but not forgetting to look around either and appreciate what is right next to you.

For Nate's birthday, we drove to Florida again. The visit was shorter, but just as much fun. One day at the beach, some dark clouds rolled in and we waited until the last possible moment to pack it up and head in for the day. All at once the clouds opened and dumped rain on us. The kids came running in from the tide and as I waited, I watched Jenna stop, turn her head into the rain and stick her tongue out. She had stopped to taste the rain.

Of course Nate was dripping wet from playing in the ocean, but still felt the need to run from the pouring drops as if each one was going to scald his skin. That's my boy... he tends to run away from new experiences. He likes the comfort of home and routine and will avoid change like... well like the rain on a pretty day.

I can learn something from both of them however. Jenna in her innocence, stopped to take the rain in, rather than run from it... and like her, I want to learn to enjoy what is around me, find peace and joy in things that scare me or disrupt my day. Nate, he is more attached to his routine and is afraid of change, but there is something to be said for caution in life, because there are times when the storm is coming in and you SHOULD seek shelter from it. The key is learning to find balance between the two.

Amazing what you can learn from a 7 and 5 year old. Even at 34. (And hopefully even when I am 59, and stop having birthdays).