Longing

Here's a picture for you -

Glorious warm afternoon, kids splashing and shouting in the pool. Sun shining down. Daughter standing at neighbors fence watching them swim. yea. my daughter wants a pool so bad she cries.

she gets to swim over there a lot. but not every time. and thats a killer. so today, as i stepped out the patio, i saw her peering over. and i thought she was talking to the neighbor girls. but later when i stepped out again, she was still there, and i realized... she's not talking... she's stalking! How sad, yet pathetic. I felt bad for her, but ya know... life has much tougher scenarios to deal with than missing a swim. And how.. sort of... uncomfortable... to have the little girl next door staring you down with tears clinging to the corners of her eyes, as you walk back to the diving board for another dip. sigh.

And i'm a tough mom. i don't dish out sympathy unless there's blood. so she knows when i make her come home that we will not be talking about getting our own pool. but in my heart, i wish i could build an olympic size pool with patio and a thousand floaties to make the longing go away.

but also in my heart i know - the way to happiness is not through cement and water. she will be happier when she learns that stuff doesn't bring happiness. happiness comes through being thankful.

ok - just kidding. swimming pools and puppies. those bring happiness. but just those. smile.