A Perfect Day

      My definition of a perfect day has changed dramatically since Gabe entered our lives. Before Gabe a perfect day usually involved sleeping late and going some place with Joe that most likely involved food and cocktails. Now a perfect day is one where things go smoothly, Gabe eats everything I set out in front of him, we get to enjoy a leisurely stroll along the trails, or pretending to be pirates on an adventure, and I can have dinner ready and on the table at a reasonable time. Oh and a long shower, as opposed to my usual five minute race against the clock to make sure Gabe doesn't do anything crazy. On those rare perfect days, when everything goes just right, and dinner and dessert are ready to go, I feel like Martha Stewart and Wonder Woman all rolled into one.

       Today was one of those perfect days where everything went just right. I awoke to soft kisses on my face, and the gentle whisper of  "Wake up. Crêpes please mommy".  It didn't matter that it was six in the morning and I could use more sleep, that gentle pleading was enough to have me up and making strawberry crêpes in no time. Once breakfast was done I got to sit in the living room with my little man watching the latest dinosaur documentary on Amazon Prime, and enjoying some delicious crêpes. I love listening to his ever expanding vocabulary as he names the different types of dinosaurs and tells me all about his pretend adventures with them.

       After breakfast we built a fort, and I was a helpless captive as Gabe ordered to "walk plank now!". We played together for a few hours before Joe woke up an announced that he had the day off. This was met with shouts of "Daddy go park, get sneakers, lets go go go!". So off we went to through the trails and to the park to feed the ducks. All in all it was a splendid day, one filled with laughter and joy. I loved every minute of it.

                                  Gabe driving happily through the trails to the park.

      The importance of enjoying every moment we have with our loved ones was made clearer to me later in the evening when I spoke with my mom. She tearfully informed me that one of our relatives was diagnosed with cancer, and is undergoing treatment. In that moment every memory I had with this relative flashed before me. I remembered watching her get ready for a night out, and being fascinated by her beauty rituals. I love this woman, whom I rarely ever see but so fondly remember, she is family, and knowing she is going through this is heartbreaking.

       It is also a reminder that none of us knows what the future holds, or when our time will come. It is important to hold your loved ones, appreciate the time you have with them, and express that love whenever possible. I know that hearing that news made me cry, but it also made me appreciate my family and the time I get to spend with them. There are no truly perfect days, we have to create them for ourselves. The future is uncertain, the past already gone, but the present is a gift. So go out there and enjoy every minute of life and all the beauty it brings with it.