In the Details

If anything, having my Lil' PeaPie has taught me that life is about the journey...and the details that surround us...and the destination. We start off the day with talks of heading out to the playground. Everything thing we do...dry bummies, eggs and saushage, unload the dishwasher, load the dishwasher, sort the laundry, start the laundry, read some books, play animals, dry bummies, play animals, fold the laundry, SNACK, socks and shoes....leads us up to the destination of the morning...the playground.
We start out the door, Elliot, leash, Poo bags, keys, cell phone, careful, vewy careful, "by self...by self" he says, as we take a good 5 minutes to go down a short set of stairs..."leaves, baby rocks, throw....by self, by self". I have to stop and not rush, not get annoyed that we are not headed down the sidewalk yet...and enjoy that he sees the details that surround him....and stop and look and see those details for myself.
When we make it to the sidewalk I let him choose.....he always chooses....round the block the long way...leash in hand...more Elliot walking him than him Elliot. Of course Elliot stops...to smell and smell the details....and Ren picks up more leaves...and more baby rocks and I have a nice handful of his treasures.
Time to cross the street..."hold hands Ren...we always hold hands when we cross the street"..."let go, let go"...he insists...but I keep a firm hold..."no, Ren, we ALWAYS hold hands when we cross the street, that is the rule". As soon as we reach the sidewalk on the other side he is tugging and ready...not to keep walking but to stop and pick up more baby rocks and leaves...
"I spy with my Mama eye... the swings and a slide"...I encourage..."come on Ren...lets go...playground remember?" And then he sees the bright red slides, and the yellow steps and the swings...and he stops and looks at ants...and I wonder if we are ever going to get there...and then
I
realize
we
are
there.

This whole time
...the whole journey
...we were there
....are there.
The details of our journey and the destination...both are what it is all about. The details of the day...moment by moment....I don't want to rush through my life not seeing...not smelling, not tasting (thank goodness there is no tasting on the way to the playground), not touching, not feeling, not experiencing.
Because that is where we grow and learn and change and are stretched...
In The Details.

(all photos were taken while Apple picking Sept 2010)