February 1, 2016

Have Some Water

This is how daddy doctor cures all ailments:

Hey daddy, I don’t feel too well. I have a bit of a headache and I think I am warm…Have some water and let’s see how you go.

My stomach hurts and I think i have diarrhea….You are dehydrated. Drink a bunch of water and we’ll check back in soon.

Daddy, I have a scratch on my arm and it really hurts…Let’s get some water and clean it first. Then have a glass of water to get you grounded.

I feel like I need to pee all the time, but when I go nothing comes out…That’s an easy one you need to drink two huge glasses of water for the next few hours.

I have a cold sore and my gums are sore…You need to gargle
some salt water for that.

I think there is something in my eye. It really hurts…Wash that out with some water.

I feel like I am about to throw up…Drink some water.

I feel car sick…Have a sip of this water.



I was helping Skylark brush her teeth this morning and started to think about how all these little shared moments are slowly slipping away. Kaia is very independent these days with her personal hygiene and there are very few things she needs me to help with.

But with Skye, we are still learning and so there we are brushing and talking and teaching. Sometimes it feels a bit like a chore: how much longer do I need to brush her damn teeth, but on mornings like today, when I stop and thinking about it, I realize that these moments are what her childhood is all about.

“Still not wobbly daddy.” She says disappointed but optimistic. She has been waiting for a tooth to come lose for a while now. I cannot wait for the day when her first tooth finally falls out. It might not seem like much to you and I, but I’m pretty sure the idea of losing her first tooth occupies a lot of time and space in her little mind. I want her to know it occupies a lot of space and time in my mind too.



Had to take a break tonight. Decided not to run and no working on the novel. Something has got to give. It is the week before my big trip to Kenya, and although it is all but ready, I still find myself worried about the smallest details.

It is nerve wracking to take other people’s children to Africa.

So today, after teaching three classes, and an English department meeting, I had a meeting with the kids and parents going on the tip to alleviate any stress and answer any questions. It went well. We have a good looking crew, but i didn't get home till after six, and by the time I ate, got the kids in bed, and had a second to decompress, I realized that it might be okay not to run or work on the novel tonight.

I have learned that goals are met when we do not give in and quit, but since I have been on a bit of a roll lately, I am also learning that you have got to give yourself some outs occasionally- tonight is my out.

Once this piece is done, I hope to read a bit, maybe watch Portlandia and crash early. Tomorrow is a big day; we are only a few sessions away from the publication of our first middle school literary magazine.



People are already starting to post articles about the “unelectablity” of Bernie Sanders, and how although she might not be the best candidate for progressive liberals, that Hillary is the best candidate we got. I don’t have the energy to get into why this thinking is dangerous, right now, but I will say that as of this moment I want to put out my official endorsement for Bernie Sanders. I have not voted for years, but I really hope he gets the nomination.



Observations:

  • Water cures everything. 
  • The little details in a child’s life should be important to the parent just as much as the child, because they are fleeting for both. 
  • Sometimes even the most goal oriented people need a break. 
  • Progressives are more afraid of republicans than they are passionate about their values. 


  1. What’s your cure all? 
  2. What’s your breaking point? 
  3. Clinton or Sanders? Why? Go? (If you are GOP, write in your candidate and reasons too. I’ll humour you.) 

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