I remember a time when I packed 7 lunches every morning. Seven sandwiches (some peanut butter and jelly, one just jelly, one ham - no cheese, one ham and cheese) all cut into triangles. Seven bags of pretzels. Seven bags of carrots. Seven pieces of string cheese. Seven little notes written with love and tucked behind the napkins.
Every single morning. It was exhausting and I dreaded it.
All my kids are big now. Four in college. Two in high school (they pack their own lunch - if they pack one at all). And one in middle school, 6th grade. I wanted to go have lunch with her at school today.
"Hey! (trying to sound like this will be the funnest thing ever) How about I pick up Chick-fil-A and come have lunch with you today?"Ouch. That one stung.
"Uh, no."
"I don't have to stay and eat with you. How about I just drop it off (figuring I'd end up staying anyway)?"
"MOM. NO. I don't want you to."
She's getting bigger. She's growing up. It's a good thing. I know this. I just don't like it.
Especially today.
Tomorrow I go to Richmond to be admitted for a life-saving bone marrow transplant. I'll be in the hospital for a month or so. Then I'll need to live "within 30 minutes of the hospital" (their rule, not mine) for 2-4 months, depending on how well I'm doing. It will be months before I will get to bring my daughter lunch at school. Months before I will get to pack her a lunch.
So, when I packed her lunch this morning, I didn't dread it. I cherished it.
Such a simple little thing, an ordinary, everyday thing. Packing a lunch. But it meant the world to me today.
The ordinary is what I will miss the most.
I needed this today Patti. You are in my prayers. Isaiah 41:10 Kelly Going Burrow
ReplyDeleteAwesome Patti. Wishing you well. Keep us posted.
ReplyDeletePatti, It is the ordinary that both thrills us and threatens to break our spirits. And such was your experience with your precious sixth grader this morning. I suspect that in her own way, she is trying to keep the ordinary first and foremost in her mind, her heart, her life. Because she is afraid of the different that is about to come. But she and you and all of your family will adjust to the new ordinary. I know you will....with God's help. ....and the prayers of all who care about you. That verse in Isaiah ...verse 10 to be exact...covers ordinary and not so ordinary days and nights: I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Extend your hand to his waiting right hand. All will be well, my friend. All will be well.
ReplyDelete