True confession: As my retirement approached, I found myself feeling a little nervous about the fact that I was going to be keeping Campbell every day while her parents were at work. On the one hand, I was thrilled to have this special time with her, to have her all to myself. On the other hand, I remembered being the mother of a 4 year old. I was not the most patient mom around.
Since taking over Campbell's daycare responsibilities, I've realized more fully than I did before that there is a big difference between caring for a young child during daytime hours versus caring for a child 24/7. My patience isn't infinite by any means, but it's much more enduring than it was thirty years ago. It helps that Campbell has been a most delightful child to keep. She's bright, she's engaging, she's witty, she's fun, always ready for a new adventure.
And always eager to help. Which is where this photo comes in. Today while I was cooking the vegetable soup for our dinner, Campbell kept asking, "What can I do?" Well, of course a 4 year old child can't chop vegetables so finally I let her pour liquids in the soup pot and stir for me. As I watched her, I knew I wanted to capture this image, so I ran upstairs to grab my camera. (When will I learn to keep it by my side?) This is the moment I captured.
It may not be special to you but I assure you, it is plenty special to me. In a sense, it defines the roles I play now: Teacher, nurturer, companion, and always, grandmother.
Does it get any better than this?
Dotti




