Fine Tuning Your Expectations

I must be honest here. It is harder to walk distances in the Asphalt Jungle. 

The shock of this settled in pretty quickly. One such hurdle was how frightfully HOT it all was. Is. And may I mention the noise? Walking along just inches away from cars barreling their way to work in L.A., Corona, San Diego, and so on is just plain intimidating. But I had done it all before, and hardly noticed. Must be the year and a half in that sweet woodland town that spoiled me.

But I won't exactly say We aren't in Kansas anymore, because of the obvious upside of all this. We are loved and welcomed. We don't need jackets or sweaters. We enjoy mega-bunches of uber-cute restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping malls or sweet main street stores (hello, Anthropologie!). How could one complain? I know. It's a first world problem. I get it.

But this morning after walking 7 miles (not terribly hot, yet), swimming through cars, trucks, semi's, bikes and Harleys, I wondered if I would ever rise up off my daughter's soft couch. The grandchildren helped push/pull me a time or two (giggling and laughing, because it really was just a joke) as they shoved me on up. 

              https://www.flickr.com/photos/maggie3/5558762171/

I know we will adjust and come out of this just fine. As we left the house tonight, the three stood on the porch and shouted goodbye as if we were never coming back. We said our own goodbyes and started for the car. But the smallest was suddenly distraught. He was saying something with a fair amount of urgency that I could not quite catch. What was it? I strained, turning to perhaps have it translated by his mother.

But then, loud and clear, out he came with it: "Wait! Don't go yet! I NEED A KISS!!" and he ran toward us, flinging his body against our legs, pulled our heads toward his, and kissed us both heartily.

Well. May I say? All weariness fled in an instant. As he raced back to the porch where his mother stood smiling, I felt light as a feather. 

What complaints could ever possibly overshadow such a sweet, small thing? "Goodbye, my darling.." I said, unwilling yet to desert that spot.

Not in a hurry anymore.


See you along the way!
the SconeLady


photo credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/maggie3/5558762171/">Maggie Mbroh, joeyjorie</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>