Sun Drunk

"Instructions for living a life.  Pay attention.  Be astonished.  Tell about it."  --Mary Oliver.

When I read that quote from Mary Oliver, it sucker punched me.  It is as if those simple words wrap everything up that I try to keep saying and try to keep living.  As simple as can be.  Notice the little things.  Be amazed by them.  And shout it from the roof tops.  Amen.  

Being around a mob of children at the zoo allows for many opportunities to notice the small things.  Because little people have a tendency to still be astonished and are not afraid to show their excitement. 

It rubs off.  Even though I believe zoos are a strange concept, it still rubs off.  The sparkles in their eyes and the pitter patter of their feet makes it almost impossible to not want to take a deep breath and say to yourself, yes indeed...life is good.  Their happiness and free spirits are contagious.

And then I find myself standing next to the donkey pen at the zoo saying, "Donkey, turn your head.  I need you to turn your head.  If you could throw in a donkey kick too that would be great."  The donkey only listened for part of my directions.   

Being the first sunny warm day we have had in forever helped make Sunday afternoon better than fresh peach pie.  It was as if all was right in the world.  First the trip to the zoo for the birthday and then continuing the party at the park with babies playing on a blanket in the shade with the belly yells of big kids swinging on the playground providing the background music.

Then the smushed cake faces.  Followed with, "You can do that with Amy, but don't be doing that anywhere else."  I encourage ridiculous behavior and I realize someday it will come back to me. 

Woven with moments here and there to connect with dear friends - the kind of friends that are like your family.

And for the minutes of the early evening when I had a little head laying on my shoulder with a little rear tucked under my arm and the sun was shining on my face, I could not think of one worry.  I was baby and sun drunk.

All was right in the world. 

Because the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors has been rare this spring, after the party, I just didn't want that feeling to end.  So two of us from the whole slew of people at the party grabbed some wine and hit my patio for a catch-up session. 

I decided I am a marketer's dream because not only do I buy books because their covers are pretty, I also buy wine completely based on the look of the label.

I could not turn away from a red rooster with an aqua dirty teal background.  It matches my kitchen oh so perfectly.  Then I saw the whole middle sister thing with the name of "goody two-shoes" and well it was game over for that bottle as well because I am the middle sister but I never was a goody two-shoes.

Please know contrary to what it appears, I drank two glasses.  Only because I was talking entirely too much.  But still.  Only two glasses.   

So a Sunday that started with me yelling to the world, "It's beautiful out!!" just kept getting better and better.  Coffee and reading, a jog with a friend, a birthday party at the zoo, smushed cake faces at the park, baby snuggling, and wine drinking to top it off.

Yes indeed...life is good.  

    

I try and take those instructions for living a life seriously.