I found the above a while back, in fact, it was dated October 2020, so a year ago...
Not sure who wrote it...but I've been saving it...
The title caught my attention, but it was the content that really resonated with me.
I've decided that I'm pretty much done with "adulting" at this stage of life.
The kids are grown and doing their thing...and they're pretty successful at doing what they're doing...proud of them both!
And we've done our thing, and we've had a pretty good run with it all.
We are amazingly blessed.
So now I am focused on finding 8.
Can you even remember it?
Think back to when life was an adventure, when the day lasted till the sun went down...a time filled with wonder and novelty and living!
That's 8!!!
We used to have a coffee bean tree in the yard on Lake Avenue. Well, it wasn't really a coffee bean tree, but we still called it the "Coffee Bean Tree".
It grew 10 inch long pods, about 1 inch wide, and rather thin. The pods turned dark brown before falling from the tree, and grew beans inside that rattled in the pod when shaken, so of course it was "The Coffee Bean Tree"!
But the tree was really secondary...even though it had a great tree fort in it (well, other than the Earwigs with the pincher butts).
The real appeal was found at the base of the Coffee Bean tree - a spread of dirt big enough to engineer roads, towns, bridges, hills, sand pits, intersections, a whole world...all in Matchbox size.
And poor as we were, somehow, we had enough Matchbox sized graders, dozers, trucks and cars to make it come to life!
Hours were spent under that tree...with nothing to distract our attention. We had the focus that only an 8 year old can achieve while creating and playing in their own great big make-believe world.
And that's kinda where my focus is now...finding 8.
...'cept now I've got grown up sized tractors and buckets and grapples to remake my little dirt pile into roads and hills, ditches and my own little world.
But ya' know, I'm not so sure one need tractors and tools to find 8 again...to find your true self, to experience life again, special and full of wonder.
I'm pretty well convinced that it might be more about simply pausing in the head long rush of the everyday...to see the Creator at work in His creation...
To watch a Bluebird hop from its tree limb perch, snatch up a bug, and return back to hunt again...
To watch the flight of a butterfly as it meanders from flower to flower...or a bee, who moves as if it's on a mission...
To watch the grace and cautious awareness of a doe as it eats...looks...looks...and eats again...
To watch a single leaf, as it floats all the way from tree limb to the ground...
There's something special about finding 8 again...
My hope is that you'll slow down enough to find a puddle...
...and that you'll find the courage to splash in it...
...and to laugh out loud - simply because you're alive!
Let the adventure continue...
I write this with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart because this is all I could ever want for you.
ReplyDeleteI distinctly remember that night at dinner, you know when we were at Olive Garden because *best* italian food, you declared orange was your favorite color. And that life was something to be enjoyed, laughter was to be sought. Then we blew soda soaked paper balls at each through the straws, we all laughed so hard that a ruckus was being caused right then and there.
The pondering of wanting more out of life came to the surface at that moment.
Here's to your best 8.