Simple Declaration

At Christmas dinner -- there were 20 some odd people - family and friends -- seated around the table laughing and talking and feasting.

The lil one was sitting between Sir Steve and I across from a family friend.  I wasn't paying much attention to the conversation going on -- too much talking just becomes 'noise' in my head and I have learned to shut it out.  But then the family friend brought me back to the here and now.  Apparently she had asked the lil one where she was sleeping.  She explained that she was sleeping on a mattress in the bedroom downstairs.... and that her 'parents' were sleeping in the bed beside her.

"Parents" ...... a simple declaration of who we are..... we are "Parents".

Obviously it is not confusing to her..... the simple logic of a 5 year old.  Mom lives with grandma -- Daddy lives with "S" ....... they are all my parents........ and I love them all.

Somewhere between childhood and adulthood we lose the capacity to love purely -- to accept trustingly -- to just be happy.  

I wish all parties involved in this custody battle (more like war) could just accept we are all 'parents' to this lil one -- that we all love her unconditionally -- that we should all work together for the best for her.  It has become a power play (more on one side than the other admittedly) but I think we have all forgotten what we are fighting over.... a little girl who loves us all equally -- trusts us all openly -- and is quite accustomed to sharing us all.  

This morning I was remembering a favourite book I read many many years ago...... and the message it contained....... life would be so much easier if we followed the following rules.... 

from "All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten"

by Robert Fulgham