Each year in that crazy time between the end of school and the beginning of camp I have the privilege of spending time with Dina and Daniel, two of my favorite people. We’ve got it down to a science, Bye-Bye Mommy, then Starbucks, summer reading, then whatever strikes our fancy.
I’m happy to say that rarely is our time spent in front of a screen unless, of course, it’s the big screen. As life goes on it seems more and more time is spent in front of a screen, but these two days had almost none of it. If there was a bit of screen time it was spent with a dog alongside providing a warm and furry distraction.
There was coloring.
There was eating.
There was swimming and relaxing by the pool.
There was more coloring and reading and lounging.
There was a trip to the animal shelter to check out a potential new companion for Toto. This included lessons on rescuing and avoiding pet stores that most likely get their puppies from puppy mills. What’s a puppy mill…,what I thought might be a tough conversation was received so well by these two compassionate kids, and the need to always go with a good breeder or rescue/shelter dog.
There was baking and learning knife skills and how to use a pastry bag. Because we absolutely had to make Mommy’s favorite cookies.
There were take-charge moments at Starbucks, because who was going to stay in the car with Toto after taking her to work for …”take your dog to work day”. More take-charge moments at Shake Shack, thanks for handling lunch Daniel and dog walking.
The Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage came through on Friday and Dina and I had a heartfelt conversation about it. Through the eyes of children all faith in humanity is restored. #lovewins
The realization that my time with Dina and Daniel may become a piece of my legacy is incredibly important to me. I have a favorite Aunt persona to maintain and a responsibility to be a safe place for them. More than that the older they get the less time I will have them to myself, soon these ordinary moments in time will make way for busy schedules and no need for camp. I hope the lessons learned stay with them and the memories are as precious to them as they are to me.
When I was in Houston recently I met a woman, Laurie Goldman Smithwick, who was hell bent on starting a movement to Step Away From the Screen and Make Something. The irony is not lost on her that this is curated on-line but she is gathering quite a following of people who feel exactly the same as she does. It’s wonderful to pop in and see some of the innovative ways people are using their time off screen. And so we joined the movement this time too, to step away from the screen and make something. What we learned is that sometimes the something is memories.