Yesterday, when it was time to head out of the house on an errand, I caught my 4-year-old enjoying the rain. Wearing my mother hat and running late as usual, I really didn’t have time to enjoy the moment with him, nor allow him to soak it in as long as he pleased. But I did pause long enough to watch his face. As he closed his eyes and tipped his head upward, allowing the sprinkling of rain to dance on his face, I took in that look of joy, if only for a moment, enough to let him savor that life-giving feeling of receiving rain water on your face.
It is a receiving, is it not? The gift is offered, but do we receive it? Sometimes, we are in a better place to receive the gifts that are offered. Other times, we rush past, not even realizing they are gifts, failing to see the outstretched hand in whatever form that might come.
This is what my children teach me, time and again. The younger they are, the more in tune to these offerings they seem to be. It is a refreshing delight to still have that energy in front of me. It makes it pretty hard to miss it when it’s so in my face. Even though I wasn’t able to let Nick linger for too long, even though I ended up having to run out and scoop him up in my arms and plant him at the door of the minivan, at least I stopped long enough to recognize it. He had the full pleasure of experiencing the gift. I had the brief pleasure of watching him enjoy it.
Here’s a photo from a year ago, when I caught him out in the rain in his pajamas.
Leisure (by William Henry Davies)
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
Aaaahhhhh…it’s all good! 🙂 Kids just make it so, don’t they?!
Interesting that what I thought of as I read this was that the same rain/snow/water that caused so much trouble during the flood can still bring so much joy!
Liz, the paradox has not escaped me. It’s so true, that water can be life-taking or life-giving. Thanks for sharing that thought. It really is striking when the two pass by one another like this…
Loved this post–and that photo. What a perfect reminder to slow down and enjoy life as it unfolds (even when its unfolding sometimes gets in the way of what we think are more important plans).