Sometimes when I am anxious, when the mini-van is going to cost more money than I make in a semester, when the house is so gross the cleaners are afraid, when I wonder if it’s ever going to get any easier, I listen to “100 Years” by Blues Traveler.
“It won’t mean a thing in a 100 years,” I remind myself when the stress threatens to make me explode.
Somehow in the middle of all this, I managed to make the costume for the show Mare is in tonight. She plays an ugly duckling who, when all was said and done, grew up to be an ugly duck. I had to sew a damned tail on a pair of brown leggings.
Seriously. Me. Sewing.
I even made a big poufy belly, which I hand-sewed on to the shirt, and then some stringy nasty-duckling things on the neck. I stayed up late into the last couple of nights trying to remember Home Ec and Gran’s sewing lessons long enough to make something that isn’t going to shred at first quack.
Something Mare would be proud of.
I surprised Mare with it and she hugged me and said, “It’s AWESOME, MOMMA!!” and I grinned.
“Are you surprised?” I asked. (Because I really was.)
“No, not at all!” she said. “I knew you’d do it for me. You always do.”
And I thought about That Grand Man and how he made me the mother these girls have. And I thought about Ducky and how she saved him so that he could save me, and it all goes right back to my beautiful girls and I realized that the great comfort — the great joy of life — is that it really will matter in a hundred years.
If you do it right.
Sorry things have been so hard lately. Glad it’s not just me, though for your sake I wish it was.
I’m going to see Blues Traveler at a free concert. I wonder if they’ll play that song? I’ll be listening for it. Here’s to a better tomorrow and a fabulous show for Mary tonight!
Oh Liz, you’re beautiful. Inside and out!
You just gave me goosebumps. My MIL always says that, “100 years from now, nobody will know the difference anyway” She is refering to cleaning up messes, but I knew she was wrong!! Thanks for putting it into words!
I’ve had the same week you have, evidently. “Overwhelmed” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Hang in there…and I will too!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Beautiful picture of your youngest on twitter! Some things we do WILL matter in 100 years for sure.
Well said Liz. Good reality check. You WILL get through this week and next week (month, season) will be better.
so great. thank you.
100 years. Wow. Happy Birthday Ducky.
Hey, we didn’t make it out this summer, We’ll get the Eden’s together someday.
I absolutely LOVE that song.