Here's the thing, dear readers, there are moments in life that you expect, anticipate and for which you prepare. There are also moments, friends, that are rare, unanticipated, and for which you cannot prepare.
I'll let you in on a secret. When there are no other words to describe the situation at hand, when you just cannot for the life of you... Yeah. In Angelese this is referred to as, "rare." One of my brothers and I share a bond where a simple look indicates "rare" is possibly occurring at this very moment.
I wish you rare days. Rare moments. Rareness in many forms. Because this is the stuff of memories, legends and tall tales. It will bury itself in the walls and spaces and annals of your history. These bits of time will come to you when you have forgotten everything about yourself and those you love. I promise.
I have many rare moments over the course of a lifetime. Windows of time that open and close but never lock. It just takes a bit of a breeze to open and laughter generally follows...
As I was driving along today, I spotted Canadian geese which instantly transported me to Portage Lakes circa - who knows less than six years ago?- on which occasion I was doing one of my favorite things, riding a jet ski. On such blessed, sunny day, I was ever.so.randomly. attacked. By a swan. This white, graceful creature flew right into my back and assaulted me continuously. You might not know this. But. Swans are beautiful. They are also big, heavy, strong, aggressive and maintain a never-say-die mindset. I am making my way to the dock so I am unable to accelerate much at this point in time. I'm not too proud to say I was feeling physically injured by said gentle, delicate, ballerina swan, but I couldn't stop laughing. It was quite a spectacle as people are milling around loading and unloading watercraft, observing my predicament. I'm laughing and yelling, Ryan is on the shoreline and my brother is on the jet ski ahead of me; and, we're all subsequently laughing and yelling and trying to help me. Random. Unanticipated. Rare.
Traveling by plane, as a one parent show, with two babies will create the most rare of all the days. Such a day went something like this...
Toddlers cannot be reasoned with. I will not wax philosophical on my resulting convictions about various parenting methods. Just. Don't. Okay?
Noah was hell bent on doing his own thing when traveling by foot, thus it seemed most appropriate to purchase a leash for all things airport. I strapped that sucker on buddy #1, placed buddy #2 in the stroller and thought we'd proceed on our way to Gate 49 presently. Well. A leash is a good way to keep someone close at hand but there has to be a will to walk written in the plan. We didn't have that on this day. Halfway to our destination Noah plopped down and gave up the ghost. Then he had to go to the bathroom. Then Aaron needed a diaper change. Then more bull headed opinions on walking. When I arrived at the gate, with about 0.025% patience left, the gate attendant(s), all three, proceeded to give me their opinions on my apparent tardiness. "Your plane landed 15 minutes ago, we've been holding this flight for you, where have you been?"
Folks. Friends. Dearly beloved. These three are ever so very lucky that Angela allowed Jesus to take the wheel... And scene.
We proceed onto the plane where every last paying customer hated every gut that I ever had. I plop down next to a niceish looking lady, "Thank you Lord for keeping the business man in the next row." The flight is turbulent as is Noah's stomach. He begs me to take him to the bathroom. The seatbelt light is on, Aaron is finally sleeping in my arms, seriously? He says he cannot wait, and I can tell the situation is now dire. I throw Aaron into the arms of the lady next to me, and precariously start us down the aisle. The flight attendants are yelling, seriously yelling, at me to sit back down. I proceed anyway. I get us into the bathroom. But it's too late. The flight attendant bangs repeatedly on the door ordering me to my seat. I open the door and in no uncertain terms inform her that I will not be moving until the bathroom situation is rectified. We did the best we could with what we had, which wasn't much, and headed back to our row.
In all my imaginations, I don't think I would have come up with such a travel day as that.
Messy. Very messy. Angry. Precious. Bits of time. Rare.
Some of the best laughs come from these. (Noah loves hearing about this day.)
Next time you see me, and we're having a day, give me the "rare" look, I'll know it from a mile away. I'll return it, no words spoken, and I'll smile to myself.
Filed away for a day down the road. Promise.
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