Day, the Sixth

Love is Like a Child

Yesterday, was the 11th anniversary of mine and Janelle’s (Tough Cookie) very first summit of the 52 With a View. She was nine.

Eight years later I’d climb that same mountain with my second daughter, Uma (Little Bean), as we pursued our NH Fire Towers list. She was five.

“That’s crazy,” Tough Cookie said from her dorm in Massachusetts where she’s studying forensic science. I didn’t ask, but hoped she was referring to the passage of time as opposed to the crazy project we set out on, hiking 52 mountains in 52 weeks. In the end, we did it in 52 weeks and six days.

“Is that the frog one,” Little Bean asked from the kitchen table. It was indeed. And though she didn’t have a defined memory of the hike, I appreciated that she remembered the vernal pool full of frogs just below the summit. She completed her fire tower quest before she turned four and a half.

I’m lost in memories today so don’t have many deep insights or history to share. We’ll let Sunday off easy.

I do find that on days like this, when I become melancholy over the passage of time, it’s best to be in the moment – hang near Little Bean and my family, not worry so much about Tough Cookie, keep it together.

Though, if how much I miss Tough Cookie is any indication of how much I’ll eventually miss Little Bean, well, that ache will certainly have to be dealt with at some point.

Instead, for today, let’s be here now. No looking back, no predicting the future. Who are you enjoying your time with today? Stay close. Let them know you appreciate them. Move forward.

I promise a bit more tomorrow. Maybe the Wienermobile? Rock Collecting? You tell me. What would you like me to write about?