...A Vale of Tears

Today was a particularly challenging day on many levels. As perfect as yesterday was, today proved a constant stream of difficulties. If you can dream it, it went wrong. Unable to solve any of my problems at home, and my morning class having been cancelled, I decided to work on some projects in the art lab and sit in on the morning classes. It was good to focus on something other than myself, but the gravity of the morning's events weighed heavily on my spirit. My friend (and also the art director) asked me what I had planned for Easter. My reply: "I am going to pull a rabbit out of my hat." I thought it a telling pun. We both laughed. In fact, I am not looking forward to Easter, except that we have been invited to dinner with friends. As I left the lab, my temporary asylum, the oppressive heat of the afternoon (unusual for the season) was as physically suffocating as my personal troubles were to my emotions. I came home, really looking forward to seeing Emily. Her even keel was just what I needed to shift gears. I walked in to a ringing telephone. It was Emily, just checking in. I had forgotten she went straight to a babysitting job from school. I was deflated in the realization, but glad to hear her voice. I told her I missed her, and she told me that she had an off day, and wanted nothing more than to be home. Those words felt so good. Dylan got home, and bounded in the door bubbling about his spectacular day. Those two interactions did it for me. At the very moment that I was staring down futility and hopelessness, with no more solutions and no end in sight, my children held me up - with an everyday gift of love.