It was the last day of religious school for the year. Thank goodness. Not a minute too soon. Josh was not happy about going the last two years, ever since I wasn't his 2nd grade religious school teacher anymore he hasn't wanted to go.
The religious school kids put on a talent show before services and Josh recited Hamlet's To Be or Not To Be soliloquy. He was pretty freaking good, especially for a 10 year old. (parental objectivity=zero) I was beaming with pride afterwards when the teacher gently asked him if he knew what he was saying and Josh diplomatically talked her through it. Go Josh! Josh's love interest gargled her way through one of the Friday evening prayers. The two of them make a perfect couple.
More impressive than gargling her way through services, was Josh's love interest's question to the teacher at the beginning of services. You see, in the philosophical segment of religious school they've been doing an awful lot of very philosophical discussion. I actually adore that teacher. He's amazing with the kids. So to start off the teacher asks the kids if they have any questions and Josh's love interest's hand shoots right up and she says "I was just wondering what exactly is the meaning of life. I'd like to know before ....." and then she got embarrassed and clammed up because all of the parent's in the audience were making little adoring sounds. I love that kid. The teacher went around the room and asked all of the parent's to say a thing or two but we just confused the kid even more. I tried to get out of her what she was going to finish that thought with but she was still embarrassed 7 hours later when she and her sister had dinner with us and she gracefully changed the subject 8 times until I gave up and left her alone.
Some house hunting family (with a daughter!) came for a second visit to see our stepford house today. Cross your fingers that they like it enough to pay us for it. They were supposed to come tomorrow but asked this morning if they could come today. I said YES so that tomorrow I could have an open and free day. I had a few hours of hysterical cleaning this morning. Which was not welcome in my already stress filled existence.
Now I'm hoping to print some photos and make a plate of another one tomorrow. I'm hoping to pull about 10 prints off of the plate. I have a good feeling about this one image. It's a bird's wing. Very beautiful.
Two people told me about road kill that I would have loved to photograph today if it hadn't been either 120 miles away or on a major highway. One missed opportunity was an opossum (double dang!!) and the other a large bird (triple dang!!). If things ever settle down here, I am going to pay a visit to the place where they rehab birds and see if perhaps there is something there for me. Also, right before my life got turned crazy, I had tried to get in touch with the dude who picks up the road kill around here, and I am definitely going to pursue that. I'm also considering going to the dog rescuers, but am not sure I want to see puppy road kill. That might be tough to handle.
Wildmom tried to cheer me up by showing up on my doorstep with a beheaded chipmunk kitty gift, but I didn't have the time, energy or focus to shoot today and I didn't want to stash it in the fridge when house hunters were on their way over (can you imagine?? hilarious!) so I turned her away. I was having a bad moment.
In the end my family dinner reminded me what it is all about and how truly lucky I have been and am, so I'm in a better place right now. I sat there at the table watching my kids and Josh's love interest and sister having passionate discussion and trying to out funny each other and there wasn't a place I'd rather be.
Which is pretty good since I bailed on a babes evening that I was pretty disappointed about missing. This whole weekend was supposed to be a babes weekend and that got cancelled when mr. missing foot bones ended up in the hospital for another round of IV antibiotics and surgery. The babes and I were going to do an evening instead, we had planned on dropping by the editor's group show opening , a nice dinner ,and then a chick flick, but I was wary about leaving mr. missing foot bones anyway, and then with all the cleaning, and the company. Whatever.
So, if you are tempted to leave a comment, I'd like to know what you would tell a 10 year old is the meaning of life. Seriously. Break it down.
I also started asking that question early in my life. The answer I'd give my 10-year old self (or any other 10-year old) would be something like:
'The meaning of life is to find out what makes it meaningful for YOU and then keep doing that. Find out what you're good at, what you like doing, what makes you feel like you're making a special difference ... and then do exactly that.'
My own short version? To live life beautifully.
It just struck me that any kind of answer is such a huge responsibility! And interpretations are so varied. Needless to say, the meaning of life is never far from my mind... Precious kid, for already thinking about it!
Posted by: Pippa | May 22, 2011 at 01:43 AM
There is no one "meaning" to life. It is simply life.
Humans ponder these things, which I guess makes us human, but far better to live with enthusiasm and love and caring towards others, noting and protecting the beauty that can be found in even the smallest thing.
Mostly, though, a meaningful life has to be about others, not ourselves. As long as we are stuck in our heads contemplating life and "what it's all about" we run the risk of missing out on our time on this earth.
Sometime I ask myself, "If you knew you would die in six months, what would you be doing today?" My answer is where I find meaning, for that day.
Posted by: The Editor | May 24, 2011 at 06:42 AM