Dear Addie,
It’s not uncommon for us to just be going about our day and I’ll suddenly stop to see you out of the corner of my eye doing something that perhaps seems out of the norm. Like clockwork I find myself asking - is that really what’s happening? Did I really just see that?
On this particular day, daddy and I were making dinner, while you were out doing your usual routine of some pre-dinner enjoyment happily playing on the swings in our backyard. I had the back door open to help keep an ear out for your playful sounds and squeaking swing - we're smart enough to know now that when there is silence that's our clue that something is up!
Out of the corner of my eye, while putting potatoes in the oven, it seemed as if I caught a glimpse of red confetti being thrown about the yard. It was literally a “what the heck is that?!” kinda moment. Red confetti? Odd, time to investigate. That's when we walked out onto the deck to see you holding a large stalk from our rose bush like some sort of magic wand. You were happily swinging, feverishly waving your thorny wand about as you swung back and forth releasing a beautiful fiesta of red rose petals, each floating through the air settling to the ground surrounding your swing set. That red confetti was not confetti at all but a flurry of red rose petal rather!
Once I had realized what was going on, my first initial thought was - your poor hands! Those thorns were no joke and this rose bush was old & huge, a real Little Shop of Horrors - kinda big. Now lucky for us it only resembled such with its girth and not its carnivorous appetite. Phew! Ok so that’s clearly an exaggeration but you know what I mean - it’s big and wears some nasty, sharp thorns! Cuts me up pretty good every time I prune it or have to deadhead the flowers!
As I walked closer to you, following a lush path of rose petals like I was on my way to see some beautiful queen, I said in a stern voice, “Addie no!” You immediately stopped and dropped the stalk from your firm grasp. You then looked at me with a big smile on your face like you were completely satisfied with your recent rose petal party and it was about time we had arrived!
Still concerned about your hands, I started interrogating - “Addie! Are you OK? What did you do?!” I quickly grabbed and started examining your hands anticipating a fury of blood and cuts, but much to my surprise - there was nothing. Not even a scratch! Somewhat in shock I looked over at the rose bush that now had not a single flower left on it. You took them all Addie, and two large stalks along with it. A sacrificial lamb to your enjoyment. All with your bare hands at that!
Once I had confirmed you were OK, I guess maybe I should’ve been upset with what you had done? Our ginormous, beautiful rose bush had just been stripped of its beauty in a matter of minutes. But I wasn’t. I just couldn't feel angry.
You see Ad, if there’s anything a quarantine has taught me is to really live, love, and enjoy every minute of this life to the best of our abilities, because we just never know what's going to happen.
You, my dear, weren’t satisfied with just stopping to smell the roses, you saw more potential in their beauty. If I'm being honest I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such joy as you had from those roses in my life ever.
As I took a really good look at the whole rose petal scene, I decided you were on to something, you were right. We are not promised tomorrow. We should be living in our joy as often as possible.
It’s so often in life that we wait to celebrate special moments or milestones. This logic seems magical in theory, but sometimes we lose the meaning of enjoying life to the fullest when we do that.
14 years ago Addie mommy and daddy were given a bottle of champagne from the hospital when your big sister Clara was born. We decided it would be such a neat idea to open it when she turned 21, cool right? We have packaged and moved that bottle to 5 different states and 9 different residences in the last 14 years only to have just realized, this year - I kid you not, that it was sparkling grape juice and NOT champagne.
Addie that gift was never intended for Clara’s 21st birthday, it was intended to toast our new chapter in parenthood. If we would’ve just opened it way back then the juice would’ve revealed itself and I’m positive in our nervous, what the heck are we doing, early days of caring for a brand new baby - that would’ve been a great laugh to have had.
So I’m not mad Addie. You are just doing what you do best, teaching me about life, and how it should be enjoyed every day...and apparently in some superhuman way having not been injured in the slightest from those vicious thorns! You may need to let me in on your secrets there.
So, you throw those petals, baby girl! Lord knows there will be more, but let’s just stay on our side of the fence ;) Not sure our neighbors are interested in a rose petal party.
Maybe life isn't about waiting for those special moments but making our moments special rather...so we don't end up with sparkling grape juice ;)
Love you.
Mom
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