Caught in the Wheel...

I was reading Cheryl's blog and she was talking about feeling overwhelmed with the never ending list of things we must do in life. She likened it to being caught up in a hamster wheel. I feel that way too so many times. It really got me thinking and then later that evening I dropped off the little one for a playdate and my 7 year old and I were alone for the first time in a long time. What did I do with our time? I went grocery shopping. I HAD to do it and it was easier with just one child. We finished our list and in line he asked if he could choose a treat and I said yes. On the way out he asked to ride the car ride they have right inside the entrance. The first thing out of my mouth was, "No, honey." See, I was focused on getting the groceries home, picking up brother, getting dinner started, blah, blah. But, then it hit me. How much longer will he ask to ride the ride? A month, a few months? What if he thinks it's for babies next week and I didn't let him ride because I was too self consumed with my own agenda? I stopped the cart and handed him 50 cents and said, "Go ride honey." I sat down at a table set they had for sale in the front and I watched every second of that ride. I tried to burn it into my memory. His goofy grin, the tops of his knees jutting out above the steering wheel and ohh, his heart crushing beauty. My boy, my baby and I almost lost this moment to the "THE LIST". And there I sat almost openly weeping in the grocery store. I guess what I learned from Cheryl and my son is to slow down and really live your moments. Don't let them pass by in the never ending circle of the wheel.

"...for a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin-real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served or a debt to be paid. THEN life would begin.

At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."

Daisaku Ikeda