When I was a teenager, in the bloom of my youth and beauty, I was as vain as every other big-haired, over-made teenaged girl living in the decadent 80s. I was so sure that all eyes were always on me that I wouldn't even go 20 feet to the curb to retrieve my family's mail without two hours of hair and make-up. I wish I were exaggerating.
Fast forward 20 years...20 years?! How is that possible!? Oh. Huh. Ahem. Anyway...
This morning was just beautiful outside. The world was fresh and crisp after last night's long-awaited cleansing rain. The breeze was cool and strong, so we opened up the windows all around. I put on my workout sweats and a tee-shirt with the intention of heading to the gym with the girls right after lunch, and headed downstairs to start our day. Before I even had a chance to have breakfast, Sis called, (which happens maybe a handful of times a year) and we had a really nice conversation (which has only happened a handful of times in my lifetime). I was on the phone with her for well over an hour, which served to throw our school day off, but that's o.k. Nobody's going to lose their acceptance to Harvard over it.
When I finally was available, one of the first things Two said to me was, "Is today a good day to fly a kite?" Her sweet demeanor just makes me want to do whatever she asks. I'm encouraged all the more by the sweet choir of One and Three's excited voices that join her in her plea. I had been putting off this event for weeks -- o.k. months -- maybe 17 or 18 of them. We've had a Strawberry Shortcake kite stored away in the under-stairs closet, ready to assemble for its big debut all that time.
Now, I haven't time to drive to the park and run the field, so I decide that the cul-de-sac we live on would serve the purpose just fine. As we're heading out the front door, I'm thinking, "I can't believe I'm going outside in front of all my neighbors looking like I just rolled out of bed (because I had, basically). I can't believe I'm going to let them see this 37-year old woman run as fast as she pitifully can with all kinds of things wiggling and jiggling -- no, those aren't the right words -- wobbling and hobbling is more like it. I think I might have even "flare-prayered" that everyone would avert their eyes.
Anyway, in the end, I was every bit as sad and pathetic as I imagined I would be. I ran. The kite dragged. I ran faster. The kite pulled off the ground 2-3 feet. The girls whooped and hollered with glee. The kite dropped. The wind gusted. The kite took off, almost by itself, 12+ feet in the air! Hey! Now we're getting somewhere. Let out a little more string. Oops. Now it's caught in the widow's tree.
O.k...that went well.
(Actually, it was really very fun. Next time though, we'll scrap the school schedule at the first sign of a truly blustery day and head to the park.)
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