Just a Minute...Not now...Later....

If I counted how many times I said these phrases, I would be aghast.
"Mom, can I show you something?"
"Just a minute..."
"Mom, come look at what I made!!"
"Not now..."
"Mom can you read me a book?"
"Later..."

I paused, and heard myself the other day and actually looked up from my lap top and saw the sparkle in my sons eyes.
"It's the coolest thing EVER!" he said with unparalled four year old glee. He jumped on my bed with his pants on backwards. I was sitting up writing. The whole bed bounced.
Something shifted inside me. My normal reaction was to say "Not now Sweetie, five minutes..." and twenty minutes later he would be asking me again. My kids are the most important thing in the world to me along with my marriage and our health. Gandhi said "True joy is when you actions are in alignment with your purpose."
What if my actions were in alignment with my purpose?

Besides that, if someone was going to show you the coolest thing ever...would you get a hustle on and run to see it? Have a little enthusiasm?
So I did. A bubble of excitement emerged from my inner whatever and I let my face glow.
"The coolest thing ever???!!!" I asked, totally entranced. Our eyes locked with delicious anticipation.
"YES!" he screamed.
"Yes!" I hooted back.
I set my lap top aside, jumped up and followed him as he ran down the stairs. He babbled descriptions of how cool, fun and awesome it was along the way and my heart ached knowing that soon his voice wouldn't be so cute and small.
When we got downstairs, the front living room couch had been transformed into a series of tunnels and a couch fort. He held out his arms to display his masterful creation, puffed his bare chest out (my kids are somewhat opposed to clothes) and shouted "TaaaDaaa!"
"Oh WOW! That IS the coolest thing ever!!! Wow! look at those tunnels and hiding places!"
"It's a CASTLE!" he corrected me, as he jumped and displayed it from another directed, arms out stretched, legs spread, his whole body practically dancing in place.
"WOW! This is SO COOL! Can you show me how you get in it?"
And he did. He demonstrated very thoroughly, all the nooks and crannies, crawling into the holes and popping up on the other side like a mongoose. He got my full attention and I felt full with love. I realized that I can tell him I love him everyday but showing him by giving him my attention is what he, and I, really want. As I watched him, and got down on all fours to play, I wondered what would it be like if everyday, if instead of saying "Just a Minute, Not Now, or Later..." I could actually give my kids the attention I want to and hear them say "TaaaDaaa!"
Furthermore, what if I was so excited about something I did that everyday, I outstretched my arms and said "TAADAAA!"

What would life be like?
It would be thrilling. It would be exciting even in the dullest of moments. It would be inspiring. While I was paying bills I could be enchanted by magic. While I did the dishes, Bronson dance moves could cause me to wiggle. While writing, my sons could dazzle me with a pillow diving demo.
Then I got that life is inspiring, dazzling and wiggle worthy. Life is magical. All it takes is to look up and say YES.

Zen Honeycutt
P.S. The photo shown is not the actual castle my four year old built on his own, this was another day with his brothers. But his was just as cool, just different.