Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Present Tense


“Some people have a hard time being happy because they see the past as better than it was, and they see the present as worse than it is.”

My stomach flipped when my whirling torso came to a stop, and the room continued to spin in my head. “Again! Again, Aunty Rachael!” two voices chanted in unison. A camouflage-slippered cowboy rode my back while a hot pink tutu clung to my front. I receive gold stars of achievement for a being a human tilt-a-whirl when I am with my niece and nephew. They never tire (unlike their aged aunt), but I rallied more oxygen for a final round. “Ok!” I warned, “Last time, guys!” We gathered speed and harnessed momentum. As the living room furniture and lights around us blurred together, giggles erupted from both sides. When we began to slow for a smooth landing, my two-year-old niece tilted her blond fountain top back and yelled, “I am happy!”

New Year’s Resolution #1: revive a childlike enjoyment for the simple wonders surrounding my present tense. 

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