[email protected]

Hi all -
I think I'm coming in the middle of this thread but what Nanci and Pam struck
me...

My middle child (son) is a homebody and always has been....when he was
younger I was into the "Mom's Club' and all it's fieldtrips and
playdates....really, almost every day we had 'plans'....

one time when he was 3, he screamed and cried about not wanting to go to the
open gym at the gymnastics facility - a really fun place....we went but could
not get in bec. it was full.....

that day was one in a series of big a-has for me....I should have listened
to him....we should not have gone....(luckily, dd was indifferent).....maybe
he knew it wouldn't work out...??....

becoming more aware of his needs to stay home made me more aware of my 'need'
to go out......what was THAT all about?.....his refusal to make it easy for
me to go on in my 'escapism' and delusion helped lead me to a place of being
comfortable with quiet, being 'alone' (with 3 kids!), and being HOME.....(I
had always been a traveller and a go-er and a volunteer - I was afraid of
being out of the loop)......

Honestly, he was a daily prompt to take things easier and STAY HOME....to
enjoy being home and to find stuff to do here at home....like bake bread,
make soup, garden, de-clutter, paint, take more care in household duties,
etc....(like do laundry with an appreciation and a smile bec. it's not rushed)

Perhaps some would have labelled him 'difficult' - and I did too bec. that
kind of internal change can be difficult - but now I honestly consider him an
angel for REQUIRING me to take a turn in my path.....

Thanks for the prompt in this thread.....I'm feeling a lot of love for that
kid, right now....
Jane


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]