November - time to remember

It's the Sunday after Dave's birthday and you are both down in the basement "playing". You are over tired from the birthday party last night. I'm proud of you. The screaming matches are frequent, as your tempers are very short. BUT the peace that fills the gaps between the fights is still there. I can see how hard you are trying the remember fairness and compassion and forgiveness. I know very well how it feels to be so tired that you want to scream. I think I feel that way today too. Should I have let you stay up past 9pm last night? Should I have put you to bed 2 hours earlier and had you wake up fresh and chipper? Life is short. We will live it to the fullest. I have always said that a person remembers the nights that they stayed up too late more fondly than the nights they went to bed early.

Remembering the nights that I stayed up late gives me a very warm and happy feeling. My parents loved to entertain their friends at our house when I was growing up. When the party was in full swing, I was there. When the grow-ups got out the guitars, I was listening. When I finally yawned a very long and loud yawn, my Mother would tuck me into bed and return to the party. I would often stretch my late night out a little bit longer and sneak to the top of the stairs to sit and listen and watch a bit longer. By that time, the guitars were being past from person to person, often with broken strings and a bit out of tune, but that didn't matter. It still sounded good - the sound of people living and laughing and staying up late.

So, we will go to bed early tonight and have sweet dreams of the nights we stayed up late celebrating life. Sleep will come fast and it will nurture our tired bodies. We will be strong again in time for the next late night - another time to remember waiting to happen.