A simple gift

Today is a simple gift.

No matter your politics. Today, is a gift.

A simple gift.

And simply, a gift.

And so is tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. Heck, yesterday was a gift (and that was a previous administration!)

Every day is a gift.

Every day that we have to share with loved ones. Every day that we have to make a difference in the lives around us. Every day that we have to make the world better. Every day that we have to breathe fresh air, eat good food, kiss our loves ones, hug our friends, read good writing, listen to music, appreciate art, dance because we want to, dig in the earth, make a choice ...

Every day is a gift.

It's a message that's been driven home for me, recently. From the loved ones I've mourned the past two years to the strange local events of the past week ...

Every day is a gift.

And thus, during today's inauguration of President Barack Obama, the performance of Air & Simple Gift gave me pause ...

The lyrics to the original, a 1848 Shaker tune:

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

Every day is a gift.

And every day, I will seek to find what gift I can give to my loved ones, my community, and the world ...

Every day is a gift.

Enjoy.

Things that make you feel old ...

... and I'm not referencing C&C Music Factory. (Though saying that makes me SOUND old!)

I'm talking about my 8-year-old daughter wanting to walk to school without us parents, us saying no, and her starting to ask:

"So how old were you when you got to walk to school by yourself."

Husband's answer: "When my big brother was in the sixth grade."
My answer: "Never." (I lived in the boonies.)

Then it was: "So, when did you get your e-mail address?"

Not quite getting what she was asking, I responded with: "Which one."

I quickly realized she was doing parent-to-kid comparisons.

And so I said it. The dreaded words:

"We didn't have e-mail when I was a kid."

Eek!

At least I didn't have to walk uphill in the snow to get said e-mail.

I wonder if she'll try to carbon test my hotmail account to see if I'm telling the truth.