Two weeks ago, when I checked the calendar and realized that three of the five weeks between spring and summer semesters were already behind me, I made a decision: I will enjoy every second of every day of the remaining two weeks.
I will make every day a lovely day!
I will sleep lots and not rush anywhere. I will hang out with the people I love, read good books, binge Netflix, and drink lots of Diet Coke. I will walk first thing in the morning to beat the heat, then again in coolness of evening to get my final daily steps. I will lounge by the pool and relax in my backyard roasting marshmallows for S'mores. I will play pickleball, even though I SUCK at it, and I will blog! Many of these things I already do on the regular, but during these two final weeks of break, I promised myself to slow down and find all the joy in them.
And I have. Every day a lovely day.
A couple other opportunities came along to add to the loveliness. Eli and Amanda and I went to see Les Miserables at Hale Centre Theatre. Les Mis is my favorite musical of all time, which says a lot because I love musical theater. I've seen the show many times, from high school productions all the way to Broadway. The messages of hope, grace, and redemption touch my soul every time. Show up at the barricade (whatever your personal barricade looks like)!
This time was no different. You'd think I'd be able to get through a production of Les Mis without crying; I know exactly what is going to happen, and I know the words to every last song. But no. When Jean Valjean looked to God and prayed for the safety of Marius, whom he sees as the "son" he never had, well, I kinda lost it.
"Bring him peace
Bring him joy
He is young
He is only a boy."
I think my strong reaction is the product of being the mom to so many young adults. I'm sure there's an exhausted, sleep deprived mother of littles reading this who would murder me for this comment, but parenting young adults is by far the most challenging gig I've ever experienced. Their problems are no longer ones I can solve with a kiss and a band-aid; theirs are adult-sized problems, and I feel each one so deeply as though it were my own. I so desperately want to fix the world for them, make it fair, make it kind. I can't always do that, and it hurts so bad when I can't, but I can promise them this: I will always show up. I will always show up at the barricade for them.
Yesterday, it was all about food. I may have invited all of us to Eli and Amanda's cute little house, haha, because they have a nice grill and I need a new one. It was pure delight to sit outside and feast on burgers, corn on the cob, potato salad, chips, and Drumstick ice cream cones. Everything was so good, but Eli's grilled burgers are the best. Mmmm. Then we played a rousing game of Forbidden Words, which Eli and Amanda won, but I think Amanda might have cheated. Very possible. Bahahaha!
We are down to just under a week until summer classes begin, five days to be exact. It's fine. Five whole days of sleep, food, sun, long walks, books, TV, family, S'mores, plus a movie in a theater with popcorn and a giant DC, equals perfection.
Every day a lovely day (and show up at the barricade)!
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