Day 16 of 'The Daily Post'.
The Daily Post nearly ground to a halt today. With two ill children at home, I didn't think I'd get much blogging time. Two ill children with different complaints. One with headache and sore throat, and one with vomiting. You'd think they would have had the decency to co-ordinate illnesses.
Then I remembered a post I'd written when I was deep in the middle of chemotherapy. It was the school holidays, and I had such amazing, supportive friends, who helped me out at every turn. Husband was around and ran the show, but friends stood alongside him in an incredible way. For the children, they turned what could have been long, boring days into fun, exciting play dates.
But there was a darker side for me. I wrote about it at the time, but it seemed too sad to post. It feels ok to post it in retrospect, though, and it makes me glad for days like this, when my life is full of vomit in a bucket, fractious children, smelly laundry, washing-up to be done, relentless Spongebob Squarepants, and other such joy-giving things. Joy-giving, literally.
This is what I wrote a few weeks ago:
Kind people bring me books on CD, and dinner for tonight, and take my children away to play. They load my excited children into their cars, and wave and smile as they drive away. On the porch, I lift a hand and furrow my cheeks with my lips in reply.
Please bring back the children and take away the CDs.
I don’t want your lasagna. I want my life.
.
I'm so pleased. So very very pleased. (Can I have the lasagne please?)
ReplyDeleteLove
Josephine
You've got it and now you make you're own lasagna, right? Good for you!
ReplyDeleteA very honest thing to write. It seems so sad to have to watch your children go to play elsewhere (although in reality so helpful). Thank god this summer is over and you have your life (and a bit of lasagne too). x
ReplyDeletewho knew cleaning up vomit could be so life affirming? Hugs
ReplyDeleteIts a shame isn't it, that so often in the midst of Life, we forget to be grateful & to seize & live each day until something terrible happens & suddenly perspective comes into sharp focus (as it were!)& we realise what is really, really important.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lesson you will remember & hold on to I'm sure. I've been there too. It's good to have that wake up call. Shame it doens't often get through to us without the exigency that preceeds it.
Being in America I guess it's what they would call 'an attitude of gratitude'.....
Nevertheless I hope the illnesses get better soon & you can have some days that are full of fun & joy & devoid of laundry, cleaning products & Spongebob.
I could never say "I know how you feel", but this summer was spent housebound, sometimes bedridden, in a wheelchair for me (pregnancy related, on the road to recovery now baby is here). I have wonderful friends and relatives that rallied round to effectively "be me" for my 20m old son, who was used to me taking him out somewhere exciting every day. As grateful as I was, I desperately wished it were me at the park with him, and often sobbed as soon as they left. It's awful not being the mum you want to be, the mum you once were. By the way, can't believe how well you're doing with these daily posts! I assumed it would just e a week!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you find joy there. I think I may do some washing later and let some of that joy of the simpler things rub off on me. Gratitude for plain old life.
ReplyDeleteWow.
ReplyDeleteYou've reduced me to tears and made me grateful for my health today.
Why do I need a poke to be grateful? I don't know but thank you for that poke.