Tuesday, September 30, 2008

be joyful...


It was a real challenge, let me tell you, to find anything special or noteworthy about yesterday.

When prior to going to bed in the evening you fail to either wash the dishes, fold the massive heap of laundry piled messily on the living room floor, tidy up the cluttered odds and ends that seem to multiply like rabbits overnight, or prepare in anyway whatsoever for the next morning's school lessons, the order you've worked so hard to establish up until that point disintegrates instantaneously irrespective of your previous efforts, of the progress you managed to wrestle into existence before you crashed and burned with exhaustion.

So needless to say, no heartwarming conversations with my children took place. Nothing of beauty was spied beneath the dust and dirt and grime spread thick and gunky over appliances, dressers and counter tops. No poetry was overheard amidst the whines and moans of the kids, or in the noise of myself cursing that earlier decision to surrender to my sleepiness and therefore fall behind on everything.

But then...aha! There was soup, homemade Chicken Noodle Soup that I haphazardly threw together and which, miraculously (and no, I am not using too strong of a word, here, to describe the unlikelihood of this ever happening again), turned out perfectly. It being dusk and all, I realized that the soup would have to be it: my muse for attaining some semblance of joyfulness. And thus I slurped and sipped my way into an albeit tenuous still a genuine state nonetheless of appreciation for comfort foods, turning a deaf ear to complaints from my picky eaters about the visible spices and too many carrots. "That's fine," I said. "Now there's more for me and dad."

I filled my belly. Troy cleared the table. It was a not too shabby ending after all.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

That visible spices part cracks me up! I used to be—and sadly still am, sometimes—so picky, but even so I am surprised by my little 3 yr old who will find one tiny speck of parsley on a small chunk of chicken and move that piece aside. Who are these people?!

We have to laugh, though, right? It's kind of funny, and like you said, you and Troy get more of the good stuff!

Thanks for sharing your little piece of joy for the day. Say a prayer for me.

Anonymous said...

There is just something about homemade chicken soup!
My children are exactly the same way. They have been known to go through a pile of napkins wiping off the unhidden spices. Well, we do our best! Lots of love to you!

Kelly said...

Oh, how you say, exactly what I feel some days. It's so nice to know that others feel the same way at times. And I think, I'll have to make some chicken noodle soup, so delicious!

Kelleylynn said...

We just gobbled ours up! Must be the change in the air to lean towards the comfy food!
Your soup looks yummy! I love carrots...save me a bowl :)

Sandy said...

Fantastic! What a beautiful way in which you've found the silver lining. I love it! :)

Molly Sabourin said...

Well, that's a relief! I thought only my kids had an unnatural fear of oregano and basil.:) I would have LOVED to have my shared my soup with all of you! Maybe someday...