The Disappointments in the Life of a 7-year-old
My youth contained days just like yesterday and watching my nephew Ty brought me right back.
Our phone started raining at about 3 pm yesterday afternoon. It was 11-year-old El wanting to know if we were ready for them to come swimming. Unfortunately, I'd heard thunder in the distance and knew we were in for some inclimate wrather. I told her I'd call her back when the thunder stopped. Fifteen minutes later, Ty called and wanted to know if he could come swimming yet. I was still hearing thunder so I told him we had to wait. I talked to my sister and she agreed about the thunder.
About 20 more minutes went by and I finally stopped hearing thunder. I phoned to let the kiddos know that they could come over. I'd no sooner hung up than I heard thunder again off in the distance. I thought maybe it was just left over from what had already passed.
I threw on my suit and headed out back. I got in the pool and started to swim and saw that it was getting greyer in the west. By the time my sister got there with the kids, it was pretty grey and I'd checked the weather radar. There was a pretty serious storm off to our west heading in our direction and there'd be no swimming after all.
As Ty rounded the corner in the backyard all decked out in his swim gear, I announced to them that the storm was too close for them to swim. His little heart was immediately broken and he burst in to tears.
My sister looked at me and asked if I remembered days exactly like that and I did. Our dad had been a member of the YMBC in Rayne when we were growing up. That meant that we got to swim in the pool there any time we wanted. Rayne was 30 miles from where we lived. Many a summertime day we'd put out swimming gear on, load up in the station wagon, get to Rayne, get in the pool, only to have to get out five minutes later because there was a storm coming. I remember all too well how those tears stung; how sad we were to have to head back home.
I wanted to cry with Ty yesterday. I'd only been in the pool once in the past week and was looking forward to a long swim and playing in the water with the kiddos. Instead, I got to watch it rain. But we adults don't express out disappointment in the same way that we did when we were seven.
The weather is calling for more afternoon rain over the next few days. I'm doubting I'll be in the water again until the weekend. But as soon as I can get in, I know a couple of kids I'm going to call up to come over and play in the water with me. :-)
Our phone started raining at about 3 pm yesterday afternoon. It was 11-year-old El wanting to know if we were ready for them to come swimming. Unfortunately, I'd heard thunder in the distance and knew we were in for some inclimate wrather. I told her I'd call her back when the thunder stopped. Fifteen minutes later, Ty called and wanted to know if he could come swimming yet. I was still hearing thunder so I told him we had to wait. I talked to my sister and she agreed about the thunder.
About 20 more minutes went by and I finally stopped hearing thunder. I phoned to let the kiddos know that they could come over. I'd no sooner hung up than I heard thunder again off in the distance. I thought maybe it was just left over from what had already passed.
I threw on my suit and headed out back. I got in the pool and started to swim and saw that it was getting greyer in the west. By the time my sister got there with the kids, it was pretty grey and I'd checked the weather radar. There was a pretty serious storm off to our west heading in our direction and there'd be no swimming after all.
As Ty rounded the corner in the backyard all decked out in his swim gear, I announced to them that the storm was too close for them to swim. His little heart was immediately broken and he burst in to tears.
My sister looked at me and asked if I remembered days exactly like that and I did. Our dad had been a member of the YMBC in Rayne when we were growing up. That meant that we got to swim in the pool there any time we wanted. Rayne was 30 miles from where we lived. Many a summertime day we'd put out swimming gear on, load up in the station wagon, get to Rayne, get in the pool, only to have to get out five minutes later because there was a storm coming. I remember all too well how those tears stung; how sad we were to have to head back home.
I wanted to cry with Ty yesterday. I'd only been in the pool once in the past week and was looking forward to a long swim and playing in the water with the kiddos. Instead, I got to watch it rain. But we adults don't express out disappointment in the same way that we did when we were seven.
The weather is calling for more afternoon rain over the next few days. I'm doubting I'll be in the water again until the weekend. But as soon as I can get in, I know a couple of kids I'm going to call up to come over and play in the water with me. :-)
posted by BarefootCajun @ 10:04
2 Comments:
At 4:28 PM,
Dixie said…
I wonder if we could accept our disappointments better as adults if we could just tune up and give a good cry for five minutes and then let it go. Maybe not being able to really release that frustration and disappointment does more damage to us than we'd like to think.
Happy swimming to you and the kiddos.
At 7:06 PM,
Anonymous said…
M is planning a canoe trip for the boys and I'm not planning on going along. I might join you and the kiddos, if that's OK and the rain stays away.
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