Crossing the Alps

William Wordsworth wrote an account of his quest one summer, in the company of a school friend, to cross the Alps.  With youthful vigor and highest hopes, he throws himself into the adventure.  Day after day, and week upon week, they approach the summit, anticipating the joyful climax of their journey.  Losing the trail, they wander about for some time before happening across a peasant whom they ask directions from.  Their confusion turns to disbelief, then disappointment.

                       And, that our future course, all plain in sight,
                       Was downwards, with the current of that stream.
                       Loth to believe what we so grieved to hear,
                       For still we had hopes that pointed to the clouds,
                       We questioned him again, and yet again;
                       But every word that from the peasant's lips
                       Came in reply, translated by our feelings,
                       Ended in this, --that we had crossed the Alps.

So anxiously were their hearts set upon the distant goal, so certain were they that the destination would shine forth with conspicuous majesty, that they were oblivious to its attainment.  Sometimes, it is easy in life to do this.  We have goals we are trying to accomplish and we get tied up in the business of being busy and we forget to appreciate what we already have, not realizing perhaps that what we have right now is already so perfect and beautiful that we don't really need anything else.  It's easy to do this with our children, with our eye on the end product, not enjoying the fleeting moment in time of who they already are.  It's difficult to do this when there are sibling fights, teenage moodiness, myriads of messes, and millions of things on your to-do list.  It is something I fight all the time.  But yesterday was different because I chose to live in the moment.  Hunter chose yesterday as his 1 time per school year mental health day off, and it was a perfect day.  It reminded me of days past when he was my youngest child and we spent the majority of the day together.  We played, laughed, talked, lunched, and were quiet side by side.  And I realized, I already have everything I could ever want.

Hunter, Age 1

Me and Hunts at Boondocks

Hunter and the loot he won at Boondocks

Basketball at home on a school day!

A movie on the iPad