Thinkers smarter than me have said it before, but the important things in our lives are not always huge, glamorous, stately affairs that any observer would recognize as important. Sometimes – maybe most times – they’re little events that, to us, mean a whole lot than what’s on the surface.
Like switching day care centers from one by the mall to one in our neighborhood.
The new school is five blocks away, so for two weeks now, I’ve been walking the kids to school every morning. So far we’ve had to bundle up a bit and put a blanket around the boy and girl (which, considering our “winters,” is probably laughable to the Vermonters up there) but we’ve done it every day.
A small thing. A ten-minute walk instead of a ten-minute drive. But what a difference. I feel my life is better already. Significantly better.
Here is my POV yesterday:
So much of my life, and therefore so much of the kids’ lives, is from car to building to car to building. I try make driving peaceful by driving gently and with interesting music and conversation, but still, it’s driving. I try to keep the shades of my office open, but still, it’s office work. Boxed in, dealing with traffic, noise, conditioned air.
Now, for that time in the morning, we’re outside in the world. We hear the birds. We say hi to the big kids waiting for the bus on the corner. Today we stopped and watched the garbage crane lift pieces of furniture from the roadside and drop them crashing into the back of the truck, then lumber away in a reverberating low gear – something Declan absolutely loved. Adored.
After I drop them off, I have another quiet walk by myself, strolling through the neighborhood, noting that the Bradford pear trees are starting to bloom.
A few days ago, Amy sent me an article about biophilia, a scientific hypothesis that suggests there is an instinctive bond between humans and the other living systems that we call nature, a connection that makes us care about nature because our genes understand doing so will benefit us, collectively, in the long run. Amy has no windows in her office. Amy is suffocating.
Our biophilia is strong, and I’m so very glad I have this new chance to give in to it every day with my two youngest kids. I think Amy feels the same about being able to go for walks with Elsie every Wednesday.
Kaleigh's got a nice post below that also talks about a small example of a big principle. Thanks KK. Sometimes 'tis better to let it roll. And I'm jealous of her being able to walk around a beautiful campus every day, giving in to her biophilia.
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