In the beginning of June my husband underwent shoulder surgery. He wore a sling for the next 4 weeks.
When he is healthy, my husband does all the heavy lifting in our home life: taking out the trash, carrying in the groceries, moving furniture. This is true for parenting as well: piggy back rides, wrestling, even holding Oscar upright for a 30 minute session of ice skating.
The sling changed everything.
I'd like to say I took on the extra chores with grace, but my mind yo-yo'd between gratitude and exhaustion. Gratitude for all I have and exhausted by having to do so much.
Two weeks into June we visited a bookstore to find a birthday gift. Roger and Oscar headed towards the children's section. I held Jesse in the pack. I was focused on checking this errand off my "to-do" list. A few steps into the store a strange looking man approached me. How to describe him? In his mid-30's, he dressed like a "nerd" from a movie with shorts belted high above his waist, a fanny pack and socks pulled up to his knees. His glasses were thick and crooked, hair unkempt.
He moved towards me as he if knew me and with an open smile said,
"Oh you have a beautiful baby."
"Thank you" I said, half listening.
He stood and looked at Jesse. Then he smiled at me and slowly said,
"You are so lucky."
"I am." I replied with a smile.
But what I meant to say was "Thank you."
