Familychicks

As a rule,

Man's a fool.

When it's hot 

He wants it cool.

When it's cool,

He want's it hot.

Always wanting what is not.

My grandfather would recite this verse a-plenty, I'm told.  I never met my grandfather but through this small poem I formed an image of him that I began building since my mother first shared his favorite catch-phrase with me oh so long ago. 

Today there is a popular movement sweeping through our culture.  Thousands of books, articles and tapes on "Living in the Moment" line bookstore shelves .  It is a subject that I have been interested in since my early twenties, but did not give intentional focused study until the last six years, really.   

It dawned on me this morning as I heard my grandfather's phrase humming through my brain that he was teaching about living in the present moment as well - about what we do when we don't get what we want and how we find our joy when challenges surround us. 

Since the birth of Little Miss Boo I have been thrown into the moment.  

When you follow a tornado all day, you can't have your mind on much else but where the wind is churning at that very moment.

A tornado moves fast and changes directions on a whim. 

Leaving its signature behind in, oh so many, places.  

The amazing thing about this Tornado is that when he is within the presence of Little Miss Boo his whirlwind settles.  It's as if the Tornado has entered it's own eye.  He stands on his tip toes and slowly ( I can't believe I even typed the word slowly in the same sentence as Tornado) walks toward the burrito wrapped bundle resting in his mom's arms.  He moves his arms toward the wrapping and then stops in mid-air, gives a big smile and leaves it at that.  There is no shaking, poking, grabbing or screaming.  Just gentle delight.  Amazing!

When he hears Little Miss Boo cry he stops racing wherever he was going and another big smile creeps over his face.  His eyes shine like he has just been given a secret to hold.  It gives me pause.  How does he know that Little Miss Boo is a thing to be wondered instead of explored, or dismantled or thrown across the room?   

So much joy and insight has been given to me from living in the moment with Tornado.  I have discovered that even a fast moving storm can transform into a gentle flowing wind when listening to new life crying to make itself known.

So from my grandfather to my mom to me and now to Little Miss Boo, I wish you a moment, whether hot or cool, stormy or clam, where you might enter fully into its presence to witness life's gift of renewing awe.