There are days where parenting- as a verb, as we’ve been told – seems insurmountable. Thick days, stuck days. Where we tip the maple syrup bottle just one more miniscule degree hoping for something – anything – to seep out. And we find that, no, we didn’t keep any morsels in the reserve. We used it yesterday, and the day before, and promised ourselves we’d make a run to the grocery tomorrow. Today, no. But perhaps soon.
On these days, for me, it is best practice to search for a glue stick.
We will cut strips of paper – so many strips of paper – and loop them together, hers and mine and hers. They’ll adhere quickly, surprisingly. One by one by one again.
We’ll make a bracelet, then a necklace, then a garland and we’ll begin again: cut, glue, loop, cut, glue, loop.
The rhythm notices us before we notice it, and our hands awake and the maple syrup bottle refills, just a bit.
And we’ll look up from our work and see that we’ve created something beautiful – a string of moments zapped of energy, filled with love. Moments that decorate doors and fasten to fridges and adhere our souls together with sticky craft glue and commitment.
They’ll tear and fall and rip, they will. There will be tears, misspoken words. Tempers lost, doubts gained.
But it takes just one good decision – one touch, one smile, one deep breath – to create anew. To add another loop. One more cut. A bit more glue.
A new chain, for today.
That one more deep breath is always the most important for me. I’ll try a glue stick next time too. Hugs!
breathing and glue sticks, amen!
Some days, all the happy drains out down a hole and all I’m left with is obligatory love dregs. I adore the imagery of rebuilding as the paper chain making Erin. There’s no room for resentments In those pink links.
Thankfully,
Shalagh
your last line left me nearly breathless. thank you for that reminder, shalagh!