My teaching partner, Shannon, and I recently taught a class where we encouraged participants to make a to-do list for that day. “The more mundane the task, the better,” I said. They obliged and then we asked them to write about doing one of these items on their list as though they are fully engaged in that activity. Shannon said it better when she asked, “What is there to love in that moment? What is golden about it?”
I wrote about taking vitamins.
Breathe in. Open the cupboard.
Breathe out. Take the vitamins from the shelf.
Listen to Hadley read the nutritional information on the back of the Trader Joe’s Fruit Strip. Feel guilty that today is an “easy fruit for breakfast day,” because you slept in and didn’t have time to cut an apple. Feel guilty that you are still cutting apples.
Breathe in. Listen to the crackle of the wrapper. Enjoy the sound of Harper saying, “Mommy, I need help opening this.” Breathe out.
Breathe in. Listen to Hadley ask, “Mama, what is Vitamin C?” Breathe out and realize you don’t know. “It’s something that keeps us healthy.”
Head back to the kitchen and pour a vitamin into your hand then pop it into your mouth. Drink juice. Swallow. Look at the dirty dishes. Wonder if you’ll ever get on a schedule where the house gets clean, the writing gets done, the apples get cut.
Hadleys says, “I”m getting 10% of Vitamin C now. So if I eat two fruit strips that’s 20%. Three is 30%.”
Breathe in and turn to the sink. Breathe out and pour what’s left of your juice down the drain.
“Four is 40%, and 5 is 50%.”
Breathe in, breathe out. It’s almost time to tell the girls they need to get ready for school, but the morning is quiet and the girls are so cute in their scrunched up pajamas, their bedhead hair, their groggy voices.
“Six is 60%,” Hadley says and Harper holds Bear to her cheek, listening.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
“Harper,” Hadley asks, “Should I keep going?”
“Yes, Hadley. Keep going.”
Stand in the kitchen with the dirty dishes, listening to Hadley tell Harper about Vitamin C intake until she gets to 100%.
Hadley is smart to understand percentage!
She likes to add. I think she finds it soothing. 🙂
i love the simplicity of this piece. and don’t feel bad about cutting and not cutting apples–just give them ten fruit strips and you’re covered.
Hahahaha! Good way to look at it.