Burls and Brown Spots - written 2020
Sending my hopes for a beautiful weekend, wherever you are.
It was a fairly tumultuous end of week for us. Scott was working and I was with the boys who had lots of pent up energy after their zoom music lesson and TGIF feeling this morning.
Not to mention, they had to finish up their projects and homework for the week because this next week is Spring break. Of course it has been break all Spring, albeit with a few more lessons and a lot more Mom nags.
I can be demanding at times, trying to turn everything we do into a math problem. "Time for bed. We have seven minus two minutes until story." "If there are six of us and we each have two eggs..."
Ugh, I tire myself out with it. I can only imagine how they feel. I'm trying not to sweat the small stuff, but I'm still not so sure what is small and what is big.
One thing- I'm learning that it's all a trade, and we just have to hope it doesn't come out too lopsided. What I mean is, for instance, we are getting better at times tables and getting worse at speaking in an indoor voice. A few weeks ago I had laryngitis. I thought I was sick but then I realized I was sadly just hoarse from speaking louder than I had in thirty years. Every. Single. Day.
Well anyway, today my middle guy had to recall a story about a tricky spider who has to use all his faculties to make up for his size. The spider has needs he is determined to meet, and he is scrappy, wily and relentless.
It definitely reminded me of someone I know (aka his little brother).
Like the spider, that little brother can't help himself. He was just born that way. Funny because he seemed like such a tranquil baby. It was all a ruse. Sometimes he still hopes he can pull the wool over our eyes.
They all try. And it's their job to try to trick their parents.
I've been thinking a lot about parenting, and what I would like to accomplish through this. Bare minimum: keep us all alive. Easier said than done with four boys who all want to catapult themselves off of every elevated platform they can reach to climb. Especially the baby, my gardener. Boy, I'm going to try.
Don't want to miss it.
And also important, I want to show the boys how to rise to the occasion, and help a neighbor out when they can.
Each person has a story to tell and so much to offer despite what it might seem on the surface. We have to look past a lot.
Sometimes just the presence of another person can be important. Maybe now more so than ever.
I keep thinking of all the knobs and burls on trees, all the bruises on the apple. The wood becomes stronger and the apple sweet enough for pressed cider. All it takes is some stress. Which means I am going to be Wonder Woman at the end of this.
Speaking of apples, did you know that they contain huge amounts of ferulic acid? Ferulic acid is a plant based polyphenol (aka powerhouse) which helps our skin fight off our own brown spots- ones made by life, time and the sun.
The ferulic acid lives inside the tiny little apple seeds that fall to the ground and survive the brown degradation of the fruit. It really is all connected. Tonight I'm grateful I get to see it.
Be well, everyone.
xo, Dr. Swae