"Write More"

“Write more.”

My girlfriend read a blog of mine and said I should write more… and most times I need something to be inspired about.  So I took that to mean: “get inspired more”. 

Initially, that sounded like somehow the universe owed it to me to get inspired.  Well WTF kinda logic is that?  Shouldn’t I seek out inspiration?  It is there.  I just have to open my eyes.  PLUS, I am the one who needs it to write and if I love writing so much – it is my duty to open my eyes.

So, today, that is what I did.  I spent some time walking around – with my eyes wide open.  Once I changed my perspective, what I saw was incredibly breathtaking.

I saw baby Sam, 2 months old.  He saw me… and my hair. He witnessed curly hair up close today for the first time in his life.  I watched his eyes widen and follow me intensely as far as he could. Can you imagine seeing curly hair for the first time, when all you have ever seen is mom and dad?? Dad with short hair and mom with her hair pulled back all the time so he does not eat or pull on it…

Then I saw Toni.  She is in her late 60s, dyed dark shorter hair, relatively fashionable. She was talking to Debi who is in charge of welcoming our seniors.  Toni is feisty and you can almost see the younger version of Toni.  She doesn’t feel like she is in her 60s… every time a younger woman walked by, Toni inspected them carefully.  Then you would see her fidget with herself.  She adjusted her posture, stood up taller and  almost had a little self-talk reminding herself why she came in to the gym, yet reassuring herself she looked DAMN good for her age.  She then would refocus on Debi and get right back to the conversation.

Then I heard a “mom… mama”, I turned to see my son.  My sweaty, sticky, shirtless 10 year old son.  He is enrolled in one of the summer programs here & I have the privilege of seeing him while I am walking through the halls. I asked him where his shirt was and why his hair was all wet.  They apparently had a water balloon fight and was drying off.  He waited with his friend as I walked closer… he walked up and hugged me.  I asked if everything was ok and he said yea, that he just wanted to give me a hug. I am guessing that it might have had something to do with the fact that he was seen getting a “talking to” in the hallway earlier and he wanted to “hug it up” in case he was in trouble.

Yesterday I would have seen just another baby, just another new senior and just my kid.  Today I saw things differently. I saw a new discovery, I saw new determination and I got to know the ins and outs of my son's day - both good and bad.

I walked back to my desk, smiling. I sat down and began to write this... completley inspired.  Thanks Bonny.