Land in Hand

I lead a busy life.

I’m not proud of that, but it has taught me things.

When I want to do something, it usually happens after work. Sometimes after dinner. Watching the Winter Olympics was a consistent highlight of our nights for a couple weeks. It was/is easy to sit on the couch and let the night fade away. But, the other night I wanted something different. So, while my sweet love made a delicious meal, the boys went for a run.

I donned my headlamp and Olson insisted on carrying his “superman” hot wheels car. Even though I haven’t been running a lot lately, I felt so inspired to go and inflate my lungs a bit. Even at the end of a long day, I love to run… especially with my little boy. Since our half marathon together, I feel a bond when we run. He is intense and can handle riding along for miles with me. Instead of getting tired/bored and complaining, he often starts singing nonsense songs in the last mile of our runs.

We started out into the dark, and THEN: I had an idea! It was spontaneous and odd. Alyssa wasn’t expecting me to do it and neither was I.

I thought, “What if on my run, I stopped and grabbed a bottle of wine for dinner?” I knew my well-worn 4-mile loop would bring me by a store after 2.5 miles, and Alyssa had mentioned she’d enjoy a glass (knowing we didn’t have any).

We heard frogs chirping in the marshes and creeks along the way. The clouds were out and the night had a calmness to it. Every stretch of road was marked by a solitary street light or a passing car. Olson and I even stopped at a few spots to look at the water or for me to check in with my little sidekick. As I came out of the backroads toward civilization, I decided to go for it.

Think about the last opportunity you have had to be spontaneous… For me, these moments come by sparsely and silently. The difference in your life may begin from a tiny decision you make when you are alone. I knew if I stopped to get wine for dinner, it would be a memory made… on a week night no less! I believe that consistently answering the tugs of spontaneity will add excitement to your life and be the best anti-aging remedy you can get your hands on.

Olson and I made the late night crossing through a busy intersection and scooted into the store. ***DISCLAIMER: Alyssa and I rarely drink alcohol, but we like to have wine at dinner every once in a while. Especially with Valentine’s Day having just passed, I wanted to make our night seem a little more special.

Olson and I rolled in through the automatic sliding doors and I let him get out to stretch his legs. He ran through the isles, rolling his car over every shelf and thing that could imaginably be a road. I finally selected my purchase and we walked over to the cashier. As I was pulling my wallet out, Olson started browsing the shelves right below the counter. I was about to load him into the stroller for our last mile as he exclaimed “Daddy! Want some chips!” He directed his gaze to the Cheetos, gum, and mints, quickly picking up the last yellow bag of Lays Classic Potato Chips.

Do you KNOW the look that he gave me?

Yes, it was in fact, the innocent puppy eyes.

The dilemma now spread before me was at least twofold. I had already told him “You can’t have those chips” and I knew we were to eat dinner in about 15 mins. He attempted to stow the bag of chips under the stroller and I argued: “Olson, you can’t have those chips. We didn’t buy them!”

This provided no delay to my little boy. He proudly walked over to the cashier’s desk and said with confidence “I want to buy these chips.”

I said no…

(NOT!)

I broke into a cheek to cheek grin and happily pulled out a $1 bill to buy my son the chips. He rode back proudly with the open bag of chips in hand, and I with even more pride pushing steadily behind him. We took “the road lest traveled” and exercised our spontaneous muscles. We had made a memory! And, most importantly Mommy was the inspiration for it all (or at least we hadn’t forgotten her in the process.)

Whenever you get the chance: Choose “Wine and Lays” over whine and laze…