Now is now

So, every new year, I write a list of resolutions.  I keep to about half of them...maybe...for about the first month.  Then the novelty of the new year slowly comes to an end as winter weather S.A.D. kicks in and my intentions are long forgotten.  I did achieve one resolution for 2011 and that was to karyoke in a bar, in front of real people, not just my kids as they back me up (dance-wise) on the latest hit from Glee Wii.  And I did it, problem is that I did a duet with a friend.  A friend whom I don't know really well...definitely not well enough to know that he is a professional musician!!  So, he sounded great...which made me sound kinda great too...but I am not sure if that really counts.  I may have to add that to my list for 2012.  And that will be the only resolution on my list, well, that and drinking of glass of lemon water every morning (heard it's good for the liver).

Anyway, so I am not doing resolutions this year, because new year, end of the year, middle of the year, life is now.  Now is now.  And living each day to the fullest, sans expectations, is the plan.  We are reminded daily that life is short.  Like the other day, I was taking the kids to the park and they were asking, no begging, me to play T-Rex.  T-Rex is basically a game where I chase them all around the park as I am pounding my T-Rex feet and trying to "get" them.  It brings an unbelievable amount of joy and laughter to my children.  But this day, I was feeling tired and wasn't really up for my dinosaur task.  We got to the park and there was another father there, two older boys and three young children.  My first thought was, wow, he's got a handful.  But shortly after we arrived, he left, with only three of the younger children.  The two older boys, and when I say older I mean maybe around 6 and 10, were there alone.  I looked around the park only to see an older gentlemen slowly walking around with a cane.  He seemed to be looking in the boys direction so I realized that it must be their grandfather.  But as the man got closer, it seemed that he could very well be their father.  He walked very slowly, was frail and thin.  He then called over to the boys, calling to them "boys" as if to say it's time to leave. But his voice was so weak that the boys didn't hear him.  All I could think about was how much this man would love to run over to the park and have a good game of T-Rex with his "boys."  Father or not.  The boys finally left and I played T-Rex.  I was the best T-Rex I've ever been and played my heart out with my kids the rest of the day.  Now is now.  Life is a gift.

our friend's house, all wrapped up for the holidays.  has nothing to do with this post, but isn't it gorgeous?