We shouldn't be all that surprised. Rich and I do more singing around the house than we do talking. No wonder my kid is a music fiend. I can stick her in her crib for an hour and she will play happily- as long as the music's on. Papa's her rockstar, so he gets her big, lit up smiles all the time, but I don't get them unless I'm singing to her. And it has to be the songs she wants to hear. Unfortunately, it's been rather quiet around the Shannon house recently. The music kind of petered out over the last few months, drowned in laundry and multi-colored onesies. Subconsciously, I think I told myself that I don't have time or the money for listening and creating and playing and singing and all of that "extra" stuff- I have to tend to the baby. I happen to be a bit of a nazi when it comes to both time and money, and it drives me crazy to spend either on "extra". And then, I noticed Ellie's face when we waltzed in the kitchen to Sleeping Beauty's, "Once Upon A Dream". Her happy, drooly, smiling face. It's the same one she has when Papa sings "Calico Skies" and "I've Just Seen A Face". The same one she gets when someone else is holding her at church so that Papa can play guitar. And it hit me. There's no "extra" with music. It's who we are. We seem to have passed that along to her.
So, I re-worked our budget. Downloaded a ridiculous amount of new stuff ( the new Ben Harper, The Civil Wars, Alison Krauss, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the Chair and Microphone Vol. 3 just to name a few, in case you were wondering) and I'll do my shopping at Shoprite this week instead of Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Because I'm singing again and my kid's been gurgling happily for a half hour now and there's no extra in that- it's worth every cent.
What is it in your life that is necessary that others may count as "extra"? What gives you joy and a new feeling of peace and belonging and safe in your own skin that may sound like "extra" to others?
New thoughts on the continuing Proverbs 31 tomorrow....
Happy Monday!