Blissfully Unaware
To True, my sunbeam boy:
I ponder over this past year and a piece of my heart breaks yet the other part smiles. The sadness comes from realizing that you have spent the majority of your life, living pandemic-style. You are completely unaware there are zoos and parks to be explored, and extended family and friends to visit. You've missed simple pleasures like attending library story hour, playdates, and running errands while riding in the shopping carts designed to look like police cars and fire engines. You've missed big things like going on a family vacation and seeing the ocean for the first time. And it makes me sorry for those who have missed out on you. They've not been able to experience the joy and light you bring to life. Unable to soak in your glowing smile and perpetually sunny demeanor.
Yet my heart is relieved knowing that you are blissfully unaware. You know no different, and this pandemic life is entirely fine by you. Each day you attend happy as a lark, not wanting anything more, and utterly satisfied being home with your brother, dad, and me. Adventure is found daily as you learn and grow. Running free in the backyard grass is your thrill. You are undoubtedly excited to watch for airplanes in the sky, sit at the front windows making car noises as each one passes, and play with the plethora of toys we own.
You love listening to music and daily (hourly?) demand Hair Up to be played on Alexa, while you crouch down and jump up at the chorus. Funny fact: Hair Up was one of the very first things you learned to say. In second place is Baby Shark, and you say the do do do part so adorably that we find ourselves listening to these two songs on repeat just to watch and hear you sing along.
We have shelves upon shelves of children's books, yet you have your favorites, including Maisy Drives the Bus, Where is Maisy?, Maisy Makes Lemonade (see a theme here?), and Brown Bear Brown Bear. It is a good thing that the experts say redundancy is good like practice makes perfect.
This year allowed your brother, Valor, to learn remotely from home. With you boys being five years apart, I often marvel at the gift of this time together and how surely it has been a blessing for your friendship. My heart swells seeing you two together because brothers are forever friends, and I pray this year built a rooted foundation that has joined you closer than if life had just been our old normal.
Even though this last year, living through a pandemic has been hard, I turn my eyes to the silver linings. And you, my boy, are an integral part of the silver lining. Such a gift.
