We had decided to meet at a restaurant - one of their favorites. Having arrived before they did, I stood by the front window and waited.
From there I watched as my husband pulled into the parking lot, stepped out into the snizzle, and gently unbuckled my son from his car seat.
I observed my daughter climb slowly - so very, very slowly - out through her side of the Jeep, dropping something on the pavement as she did. It went unnoticed, except by me. Under normal circumstances, I would have been impatient. I might have snapped at her to hurry up. But I today I had the luxury of standing dry and removed to see her enact the careful ritual that drives me batty every single day. And suddenly it dawned on me. She doesn't want to fall. The ground is far away.
I saw him take them both, my little daughter and my little son, softly by the hands and guide them through the parking lot towards the restaurant's front door.
I took tender note of my daughter's black Mary Janes, her brown pants, her green shirt, her red headband and the wisps of baby fine flyaways poking out here and there. I remembered the text message I had received from my husband as I sat in a conference session two hundred miles away the day before. "Which way do you part V-meister's hair? On the side or down the middle?" I had pictured then my husband standing with her in front of the bathroom mirror and tenderly, awkwardly, brushing her hair.
As they approached, I saw my children's guileless faces, one looking this way, the other that, and taking in the world around them - a flat, gray parking lot - as though it had infinite possibilities on offer. They hadn't yet noticed me and I wasn't sure if they knew that I was waiting within, just fifty feet and still a world away.
And after having been away for a mere handful of days, watching through that window I saw them, my husband and my children, for the exquisite, the ethereal, the good, the trusting souls they are.
And I was glad, so glad, to be home.
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I attended the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop in Dayton, Ohio this past weekend. I have much to tell you about this experience, but I'm still sorting through my impressions, so it will have to wait for another day.
11 comments:
Beautiful! I get so caught up in the day-to-day that it always surprises me how much fun we have when all four of us are together.
I bet there were so excited when they saw you in the restaurant!
I love this, Rima. You are a multi-talented writer. But, I miss you! Come back! To the Marriott! =)
This brought a little tear to my eye. I am that ever-impatient mom who stands there foot-tapping while little rituals get performed. Sometimes I'm even that mom when we don't have anywhere to be, and I hate that I do that.
Thanks for the reminder.
Rima, This is absolutely lovely. You captured beautifully the very similar experience I had when my flight got in early yesterday so I ended up coming up behind my husband and kids as they waited for me in baggage claim.
I loved meeting you! I hope to see you again soon! Keep writing!
Jennifer
Oh that is beautiful.
How often we forget to see the world as they do.
And? I CANNOT WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT THE ERMA BOMBECK WRITER'S WORKSHOP!
I did not know there was such a thing!
Do tell soon!
Thank you for this beautiful post. You brought a tear to my eye.
The ground is far away when you're very small. And sometimes there are incredibly interesting things on that ground that require questions be answered. I need to slow down and notice the world the way my kids do. Thank you!
These moments...they're the best.
oh, so sweet!
-Lena
I loved this post. It made me feel warm and fuzzy and self-reflective all at once.
You're such a versatile and talented writer.
*sigh* This makes me so teary.
This is the gorgeous simplicity that makes up our lives. You write about it so beautifully. Well done.
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