Aloha

A few days ago I got a text from a friend who was in Hawaii on business (tough gig, right?).  Her text said "I'm in heaven" and was accompanied by a picture of her lying on the beach. 

While she had been lying on the beach, I had been driving an hour to trade in the loaner minivan for my newly fixed Acadia.  I had had an hour of silence, and had another awaiting me on my return trip home.  I was in heaven!  Being alone in my car, or alone in my house or even alone in the bathroom, is a rare treat for me.  And besides the lack of noise, my favorite part about silence is that I get to hear myself think.

When it's quiet, I usually start off thinking about how much I love the quiet.  How nice it is to have a break.  To get away.  But then my thoughts turn to who I'm "getting away" from.  And that leads me to thinking about my kids.  Sophie, who is eternally happy and eager to please.  Max, who is funny in a smart way and smart in an even smarter way.  And Lily, who, at the grocery store earlier that day said "Thank you, mama," for every item I put in the cart.  Including the spinach.

That got me to thinking about my husband and the home we have made for our family.  I thought about my house, and how much I love living here.  In this house with this yard, but also in this neighborhood with our friends.  I love that we know our neighbors.  And we like them!   And we have so many other wonderful friends from college, church, work and many other parts of our lives.  We are so blessed.

I texted my friend back with a picture of me, alone in my car, with the words, "Me, too."  I'm sure she didn't understand what I was saying.  But it just so happened that as I got her message, surrounded by silence but rushing back to the loving chaos of my life, I felt like I was in heaven, too.