Peeps flying the Nest.

My son, who turns twelve tomorrow, said to me this morning as I was combing the political and financial news like the maniac I've been since the 'bail-out', "I'm so glad we can hear the birds in the morning. I miss that in winter."

Me too, Buddy.  Me too.

My son gently reminds me of a quote by Don Henley in the song: THE LAST WORTHLESS EVENING "...There are just so many summers And so many springs..."

Is that depressing. NO. Not really. Not if it helps me appreciate the birds in the morning and my son's unadulterated joy in just being part of the human race. Enjoy life. Take nothing for granted. Man, it's good to have peeps around the nest to remind me to seize the day.

I have a tendency to tune out the birds in the morning because I've got bigger or better or more important things to do than sit for five minutes and just enjoy them. That brings me to my peeps and the frantic rush to school and homework and band and karate and...and...and...all of that is BEFORE I drag myself off to work for money and profit and something meaningful to do with my life (which I take quite seriously)...and then the seriousness of the day takes hold...

It's that seriousness that gets me into trouble.

When I slow down and say, it's not the end of the world if we're late for school, or even miss a day to go to a movie or the museum or simply a walk by the lake, I enjoy life a lot more. So do my peeps.

My daughter is graduating from High School this year. She's already taking college classes in the afternoons three days a week. She'll turn eighteen in a few months and I wonder just when I closed my eyes and the beautiful woman she is walked into my life.  

I remember when she was two and she'd say, pointing excitedly to the numerous finches, doves, sparrows, wrens, killdeer and robins as her tiny body jumped up and down: "Burds, mama. Burds!"  Still one of my favorite quotes. It never ceases to make me smile. Knowing this, she says it even today when I'm in a foul mood. I'm going to miss her terribly when she goes to college full time. (But that's another Blog)

Not caring whether I won mother-of-the-year, I took her everywhere with me before she started school full-time. When she started school I kept her out one day a month and we had a "movie day". For all of you who know I work as a child advocate this may shock you. I didn't care then, even though it angered my husband until he gave up, quietly shaking his head certain I was a corrupting force of nature (True, and yet another Blog).

I am profoundly grateful for those days now.  My husband tells me now, so is he.

So when I hear the birds joyfully singing at the crack of dawn I try not to shut them out in order to focus on the serious business of life. Instead I try (and when that fails I force myself) to listen and to greet my day with the optimism and sheer joy that my children bring to each day. Some days it's easy. Some days it takes a focused effort. But being grateful for the day is never a wasted effort and enjoying our spring and our summers is more serious than anything on our collective business calendars.  Business fades. Time spent with those we love lives forever, imprinted on our psyche; intangibly meaningful.

So my friends, may you enjoy the "BURDS"!   CARPE DIEM!

Leigh.