So...sitting here in Starbucks has been a bit of a wake-up call. I'll be honest, I write up some of my posts in bulk, so they're often done in big batches on the same day and scheduled in advance. I've had a bit of time between sitting here and doing all the things I've done to get a feel for my surroundings. It's shown me just how beautiful life is, and I've missed that.
Yes, this is Starbucks, so you've got cafe noises. You've got the calm, mellow music that they always play. Very few patrons stay for long, but many of them are greeted with joyful expressions. There are several that I've heard their usual spat out by the store worker and there's just a beautiful familiarity between them. It's so much different than the rest of Texas.
Outside there's a family of three, a mom, dad, and little boy who can't be more than two or three. He's making emphatic gestures (as most children his age do) and his parents are laughing. I remember those days with my daughter. Generally it wasn't her father that was laughing with me, but a friend. I remember sitting down at some cafe while sipping tea or hot chocolate, listening to her funny conversation that only half made sense. I can't hear any of it, but it rings a smile to my face just seeing them! They all look so happy!
Sometimes I think I need to kick back and view life like this. I need to be an observer, not directly in the middle of it all. I need to be able to enjoy the music and atmosphere while being one of the anonymous millions that just so happens to be there for it. I need to be able to hear the joy and friendship of others. I need to see the smiles on another family's face. I need to relax and take it all in.
I think when I get home I'll have a far better appreciation for my own family. After all, I'll have a chance to see how we must look like to outsiders. Yes, more often than not we've been the couple with the unruly kids that's constantly yelling and snapping. Stress does that to you, as does only really getting out when the kids are tired and cranky. However, it's becoming more common that things are turning more "normal". We're getting a chance to enjoy our family time. We're finding reasons to laugh. Everyone's indulging in a healthy amount of silliness. It's wonderful. I'm reminded of how people must see me when I greet a good friend, or how an outsider would see how welcomed I am when I walk into the yarn store to knit with friends.
Having a moment to sit and think about it, life is good. I hope I can always have moments like these to wake me up to how good it really is. I hope I can always go home to my loving family and know exactly how lucky I am to have such beautiful kids, a wonderful partner, and fabulous friends!
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