Flexibility

Making time to play and explore

I'm not that flexible. I can barely touch my toes anymore and I hate to leave a mess in the sink. This lifestyle doesn't describe parenting, which consists of many unplanned and messy moments.

Parenthood requires you to make a plan (naps, feedings, playdates), but then change it as necessary, which is more often than I ever imagined. There is always work, housework and other things to do, but if baby needs you, he needs you. Writing is the same.

Sometimes I feel creative and produce new poems. Light, images, words and flavors inspire metaphors and connections. Other times I feel more definitive and can edit, cut and organize my writing. Long stretches of uninterrupted time serve both approaches well.

Time, let alone long stretches of uninterrupted time, don't generally exist for me anymore. And the list of things to do is longer than ever.

I'm learning to take deep breaths, let my shoulders relax and try to juggle the joys, work and sudden emergencies. By trying to be more flexible and respond to what's happening in that moment, there have been discoveries - an impromptu fort with a blanket over out of place chairs or a sorting game based on tossed washcloths on the floor.

The same can happen with poems - the hot sun is behind clouds and it is a perfect opportunity to go out for a walk, regardless of the state of the (particularly dirty) laundry. Look how the sunlight peeks through the clouds and a deer walks across the sidewalk towards the park. And look at how my son notices the shadows, too, as he moves his hand around in the air and watches the sidewalk shadows.

You never know what happens, but it won't happen if you only follow your prescribed plans.

I need to keep remembering that.