I went to the physical therapist yesterday. As I lay with my back exposed to the air and my face stretched by gravity between a slit in the table, a 17 year old technician came in. She pulled out the ultrasound machine and ran a wand around my back. I was enjoying the slight pressure and the silence when the tech, who was clearly nervous with silences asked, "So did you have a fun weekend?" Ah. A chatter.
I have not been asked that question in a long time. Did I have fun this weekend? I wondered what her definition of fun would be. Did I go to a party, hit the slopes and snowboard or ski? Did I go to a concert or goof off with friends? Did I go to a basketball game or watch the People's Choice Awards? Did I hike in the mountains or rappel off cliffs? Did I make a trip to Disneyland or Sea World or hit the slots and tables in Vegas or Wendover? Did I see a movie at the IMAX or shop until I dropped?
I did none of these things.
Instead I participated in my oldest son earning his Bear patch in cub scouts. I finished two books, watched the shows I had been saving on DVR late at night. I took a long, interrupted nap on Sunday while my husband took care of the kids. He and I went to the movie theater and watched Sherlock Holmes. I drove my daughters to meet friends at different rendezvous points. I washed clothes, sheets and towels then put them away. I played Apples to Apples with my family, discovered a new setting on my new DSLR camera and took pictures of my kids, husband, and dog during dinner. I counted railroad cars on a passing train with my 4 year old. I watched four children sit for hours at the counter and create with perler beads.
Fun? Maybe not. Deeply satisfying? Definitely.
I have not been asked that question in a long time. Did I have fun this weekend? I wondered what her definition of fun would be. Did I go to a party, hit the slopes and snowboard or ski? Did I go to a concert or goof off with friends? Did I go to a basketball game or watch the People's Choice Awards? Did I hike in the mountains or rappel off cliffs? Did I make a trip to Disneyland or Sea World or hit the slots and tables in Vegas or Wendover? Did I see a movie at the IMAX or shop until I dropped?
I did none of these things.
Instead I participated in my oldest son earning his Bear patch in cub scouts. I finished two books, watched the shows I had been saving on DVR late at night. I took a long, interrupted nap on Sunday while my husband took care of the kids. He and I went to the movie theater and watched Sherlock Holmes. I drove my daughters to meet friends at different rendezvous points. I washed clothes, sheets and towels then put them away. I played Apples to Apples with my family, discovered a new setting on my new DSLR camera and took pictures of my kids, husband, and dog during dinner. I counted railroad cars on a passing train with my 4 year old. I watched four children sit for hours at the counter and create with perler beads.
Fun? Maybe not. Deeply satisfying? Definitely.
Sounds like a perfect weekend to me- minus the laundry part.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds fascinating AND fun.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, it sounds like a good time was had by all! Fun to a 17-year old is totally different, however.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the tech felt awkward with the silence, and just needed to fill the quiet with chatter. Not a bad thing - most kids that age wouldn't know what to say to a grownup at all.
Funny how different your version of fun probably was to hers. I think your weekend would have beaten hers hands down in terms of fulfilment. Amazing how a few years and a handful of kids changes your expectations!
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of fun. I may have, just perhaps, added a bit more chocolate consumption or something like that but over all...way cool weekend...
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like perfect fun to me!
ReplyDeleteThat is some super family sweetness. Also - I am deeply jealous of your short term memory skills. (Nancy - where did I put down my coffee? Please advise.)
ReplyDeleteAnd then thing with the beads and you got to see a grown up movie in a real...Wait! You got A NAP? Where can I get one of those??
Ah, with age comes deep contentment with the quiet moments of life. . . mostly because we are too darn tired to PARTAY!
ReplyDelete