What's Really Worth My Time?

When my oldest son, Evan, was about 5 years old, I was in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he and his brother were in their rooms playing quietly. All of a sudden, Evan's urgent little voice cried, "Mommy, come quick! You have to see this!"  I called back and inquired what was it that I needed to see, to which he simply hollered back, "Come fast!"  In that way that only mothers who are hearing but aren't really listening can do, I responded, "Evan, I'm in the middle of cooking dinner. I will be there in a minute." Defeated, he said quietly, "Then you'll miss it..." Somehow, the sincere disappointment in his voice got my attention (finally!), and I walked down the hall to his room to see what was so exciting to him.

Out his west-facing bedroom window was the most glorious, God-created sunset that I have ever seen. All I could do was stare with my mouth open. We both watched, hand-in-hand, as the sun slowly slid  below the horizon. The full majesty of the sunset only lasted less than a minute. Evan was absolutely right -- had I put him off, I would have missed the whole thing.

We all think we have so much time, that we can put off until another day the things that would bring us joy today. We "prioritize out" the things that feed the heart, but maybe not the checkbook, and call them less important. We claim that we don't have time for vacations, days off or holidays, then spend days at home, ill due to overwork. We wear what my friend, Kjell, calls the "badge of busy-ness" proudly, and miss out on the little things that matter most.
__________________________________________________________________________

In the April edition of Real Simple, Ingela Ratledge writes of 22 things in life that are really worth our time, according to a raft of people of all walks of life. See if you agree with any:

• If you're going to stop and smell a flower, make it a gardenia. - It is one of the most fragrant ones, according to Real Simple's gardening expert, Madeline Sparks.
• Read the wedding announcements in the Sunday newspaper. - According to Ellie Kemper, actress on The Office, the stories of regular folks meeting, falling in love and starting a family, are a source of "profound and unadulterated hope."
• Make the bed.- I must agree with author Isabel Gillies (Happens Every Day: An All-True Story) that sliding into a freshly made bed is a delight to my entire being. Plus she considers the physical ordering of the bed a way to order our thoughts for the day, as well.
• Let a child set the pace. - Novelist Dean Bakopoulos describes how different his daily walk became when he took his 2-year-old daughter along. It turned out to be a workout not for his body, but for his spirit.
• People-watch on public transportation. Author Teddy Wayne (Kapitoil) suggests getting on a train, bus, or subway without a particular destination in mind, and studying the folks as you go.
• Spring the kids from school for the day. Writer Jonathan Tropper described a fantastic day of "hooky", picking his children up in the morning, going to lunch (kids' choice), then spending the afternoon at the movie theater where the kids got to eat whatever they wanted.
• Guys, go on a "man-date". Steve Almond, author of Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life, talks about the importance of hanging with the guys (something my husband has been slowly trying to teach me).
• Write thank-you notes. Chicago-based author Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Bedtime for Mommy) says that this small (lost) gesture amounts to social capital, and makes us feel good, too.
• Spend time with your spouse. Writer Susan Schultheis equates the value of a couple's chit-chat over a glass of wine or a cup of tea to the time a parent spends on the floor playing with a child.
• Other ideas (thanks to Ingela)...
• Re-read a favorite childhood book.
• Call someone's supervisor to compliment a job well done.
• Bake a cake from scratch.
• Hold the door open for someone.
• Eat a real breakfast, sitting down.
• Document just one week in your life, scrapbook-style.
• Listen to an entire album (those big, black, round things with grooves) in one sitting.
• Toast your sandwich bread.
• Take a road trip and stop at funky tourist sites.
• Take a workshop that has nothing to do with work.
• Eat something you grew yourself.
• Watch inspirational YouTube videos.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Here's a quick, real breakfast that gets my youngest son up and out of bed quickly. It takes little time, but delights a young child greatly.

Surprise Egg Sandwiches
(Serves 1 or 2)

2 slices whole wheat bread
Margarine or butter
2 large eggs

Butter one side of each slice of bread. With a juice glass or small cookie cutter, cut a circle out of the center of each slice; reserve cut circle for later.

Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle to medium-hot. Place bread, butter-side down, in the frying pan. Crack one egg into the center hole in each bread slice (we like ours over easy, but you can pop the yolks if you prefer hard-set eggs). Replace cut circle of bread butter side up.  Grill until bottom side of bread is toasted nicely; turn carefully.

Grill sandwich on flip side until egg and toast are desired doneness.  Serve with a glass of orange juice and a chunk of cheese, for a complete meal for one or two.
_____________________________________________________________