It rained relentlessly, without stopping, without a pause, all day long. I was home alone with my older child who was bored and lonely, as most of her friends are gone or safely tucked in their own homes. If you’d asked my predictions, I’d say from experience that it would be awful. she’d whine and I’d get frustrated, repeating that I am busy that I don’t have time for her. Instead, I have somehow managed to access that kind and accommodating part of me, the one that as soon as she’s done with the hour’s tasks rushes upstairs to spend a few minutes with the child.

We talked, we played, it was wonderful. We continued playing all evening, simply grateful to be together. Today, it was easy to love. It didn’t feel like too much, didn’t feel like a sacrifice. It felt like being in perfect balance. If there was a day I could repeat over and over, today was a good candidate.