Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Patience is the only thing that runs thin on me

God knows what he is doing.

I say that because at my age I can no longer bear children. Truth be told, I haven't been physically able to bear children since I was 23 years old. Yet, if that weren't true, and I was blessed with a child in my late 40's I think I wouldn't survive, mentally that is.

This week my sister, 10 months my junior, is staying at my house in Connecticut with her 2 year old foster child and 8 year old adopted child. I'm back on Long Island at her house.

Em, 8, is attending performance art camp for the week there. She is very talented.

Last month she played the lead role in a school performance of 'The Princess and the Pea". She stole the show.

She reminds me of Carol Burnett, only more beautiful.

Jay, the 2 year old, started talking this year.

And he hasn't stopped.

He talks constantly.

And he doesn't stop.

Ever.

As I was packing to leave on Sunday, he followed me around the house as I collected my necessities.

"Leaving"? "Leaving"?

"Yes, Jay, I'm leaving"

"Leaving"? "Leaving"?

"Yes Jay, I'm leaving, but not right now, soon, I have to pack my stuff first".

"Leaving"?

"Soon, honey. I will say goodbye and give you a hug and kiss before I leave, okay"?

"Leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, leaving, heaving"?

Right then I realized that God knows what he is doing. Because after 10 minutes of the broken record-like 'leaving' echoing throughout my furniture-free house as he stalked me from room to room, I was ready to rupture my ear drums with an ice pick.

Years earlier I would have had the patience.

I do love children.

But, unfortunately, at my age, patience is the only thing that runs thin on me.

*I have to just add this funny e-mail I just received from a friend:

Him: "I say that because at my age I can no longer bear children. Truth be told, I haven't been physically able to bear children since I was 23 years old. Yet, if that weren't true, and I was blessed with a child in my late 40's I think I wouldn't survive, mentally that is."

Gee... sounds like you just told the world that you and Cap are boinking uncontrollably...


My reply: Ooops, that's not what I meant......gotta change that. thanks


Him: yeah, cause you'd kinda want to keep that private. Unless there are pictures...



4 comments:

rena said...

Cute. I wonder if you get it back when you become a grandma? Like, it comes in doses like a vaccination during flu season - when your child rearing you have it, and when your children are child rearing, you have it but in between you don't need it, so you don't have it?? Actually, maybe not, because my mom didn't have it when I was child rearing. Through that theory out the window.

Leaving?

Dawn said...

I was just going to say that you'll get it back when you have grandchildren. I promise! At least I did. But I still don't have much patience for other people's kids or grandkids (unless they belong to my nieces or nephews!)

Monica said...

Can you all PLEASE pass some of that on to me?! I didn't get much patience at all - for children, or really slow people (you know. the ones who, when they ask you your simple last name, say, "Jones? Can you spell that?" And no, Jones is not my last name. hee hee!)

Amrita said...

May be just liked the sound of the word.Leaving?