A MELLOW DAY

June 9, 2008

Yesterday I drove up to Middlebury for my grandson Josh’s 2^nd birthday party, and it was a mellow affair from start to finish. I first noticed the peacefulness of the day when I was driving up from Brooklyn, CT with my other grandson, Noah, and his family. Because little Ava Elizabeth (just one year old) was falling asleep in her car seat, we had to be almost completely silent as we drove along – at least for the first part of the drive. Occasionally my son and I would whisper in the front seat (actually, a great conversation about teaching), and now and then I would hear the soft voice of Noah in the back, but mostly we all enjoyed a quiet and restful trip. The party itself, at Luke and Krissy’s neat-as-a-pin home, was equally peaceful. I spent some time out in the shade talking with family and friends, sat in the cool and comfortable (it was in the 90’s outside) living room watching the kids play, and also enjoyed the bountiful birthday lunch in the breezy backyard. I felt totally tranquil the entire time. There was a lot of activity, yes, but to me it seemed more soothing than frantic. After the party, the drive back to Brooklyn was every bit as relaxing as the trip up. Ava drifted off to dreamland while Noah quietly flipped the pages of his book and Jaimie and I did some more whispering about our beloved teaching profession. It was, in every way, a kind and calm day for me, a very lucky father and grandfather.