The Moon Loves Me

Raise your hands – how many of you have sat at your desk, chin on hand, staring mindlessly into space instead of concentrating on that all-important report you’re supposed to write?  Come on, don’t lie – I can’t even see your hands.  Seriously, I’m sure we’re ALL guilty of daydreaming or otherwise mentally vacationing from our workplace or school or home responsibilities. This is probably healthy – if we didn’t take a mental break now and then, we’d be even crazier and more stressed than we already are. And by “we” I mean “me.”

So we’ve established that a bit of escapism can be a good thing. Until it crosses the line into serious procrastination, missed deadlines, you get my drift. But what I’m interested in is the nature of our escapism. I don’t know about you, but I find myself thinking about all of the stuff I have to do (real productive way to get it done), or worrying about my various stressors, or sometimes just being totally mentally absent and not thinking about anything.

Boring.

One day, back when it was still dark at day care pickup time, I carried Anna to the car in my arms. She looked up at the already black sky and said, “The moon! The moon!” I looked up.  There it was. I said, “Yep, there it is.”  That ingenious reply was about all I could think of in the moment. Then she smiled her huge, adorable smile, tilted her head back, and shouted, “HI MOON! I colored pictures today!” I chuckled.

Anna's Art - The Moon!

“Mom,” she said with a conspiratorial whisper, lowering her head, “The moon loves me.”

I laughed out loud. I often recall that moment for its simple joy.  That has been one of the most beautiful lessons of parenthood for me – taking pleasure in the little things, trying to notice the world through a bright-eyed toddler lens rather than through my cloudy, half-asleep, grown-up one.  There have been many similar moments – Anna’s excitement over blowing bubbles, or getting a treat at the grocery store, or seeing a dog pass us as we stroll down the street. “A DOGGIE!!” she exclaims, as if it’s the first time she’s seen one and it’s the coolest thing ever.

What would our lives be like if we had that lens?  We had it at one time, though we probably don’t remember it. What would our demeanors be like if we just made an effort to look at the things around us as if they’re new and exciting, to appreciate them like a toddler loves the moon?

It’s something I bear in mind now, when my mind wanders nowhere particularly interesting and I’m supposed to be doing something else. I glance out of my large downtown office window and think about what Anna would notice – how blue the sky looks, puffy clouds, cute little kids holding parents’ hands, people with pets, colorful pictures in store windows.

 

Of course, I’m not always successful in my efforts to retain this mindset. In some ways, it’s hard to turn back the clock.  But it’s worth stopping to notice your environment, to enjoy the world around you, to appreciate what’s there whenever you can.  After all, if I’m going to procrastinate, I might as well make the most of it. Anna seems to make the most of everything.

Mama T & Anna at the Bronx Zoo