Friday, July 13, 2012

Shin Buster

Exhausted, I was mothering from the couch.

I watched her tear through the living room and then faceplant onto the stairs. She had been running so fast she didn't quite get her foot up far enough to clear the first stair. Her hands were clasped together  as she ran, and she didn't unclasp them when she fell.

thump thump thump thump thump thump BUMP !!!BLAM!!!!

She didn't cry, in fact she barely registered the collision. She just tore up the stairs to her room.

It took me a few seconds to put the whole scene together.

...

"VIVIAN! Are you sneaking cherries into your room?"

...

"VIVIAN! Are you hiding? I KNOW YOU HEAR ME!"

...

"Vivian."

She started crying.

Dad went up after her and demanded she give him her cherries. He came down with a handful, "Sheesh. That kid."

I coaxed her back down to sit with me on the couch. I lectured about honesty, the food-ants-mice consequences and the fact that she could have asked... even though I might have said no. She looked at me sadly the whole time.

That's when I noticed one of her fists was still closed tightly.

...

I looked at her eyes... and then down to her fist again.   

She looked at her fist.

She started crying.

***

I had such big plans for my one week off. Getting sick wasn't at the top of the list.

But. it was was on the list.

I knew there had to be consequences for trying to pack so many accomplishments, plans, projects, dreams, fulfillments, and indulgences into so little time. I just hoped I could run a little bit faster... so I wouldn't get caught.

But, the problem with running that fast and having your hands so full is that you don't always make it over that first. big. step.