buzzing about

If you need to go grocery shopping on the afternoon before snow comes to town because you actually need eggs, milk, and bread (plus your fridge is bare) I have a suggestion for you: let your daughter wear her bumblebee costume to the store. It is hard to be crabby while wrestling your cart through the swarms of shoppers when everyone you pass smiles at your daughter, and then looks at you and smiles as well.

For a moment after she asked if she could wear it out shopping, I wanted to say no, but then realized there was no reason why I should. What did it matter? The only slight hassle was trying to get her booster straps over the shiny, yellow wings when I had to buckle her into the van. A few extra seconds of trouble were worth it for every smile we received. One father even pointed my beautiful bumblebee out to his small daughter, while Katie shyly received the praise.

My cute little bee was also clever. "Ooo, Mommy, we are coming to my favorite section!"
And she then pretended to drink nectar and taste the pollen of all the lovely flowers on display in the floral department. When we were first walking into the store, Joey thought it was a little embarrassing to have a bee shopping with us as he noticed the looks from shoppers that Katie was oblivious to, but by the time she was "tasting" the flowers, he was pretending right along with her.

A friend told me this week that she is looking to put more joy in her life. It is wise to be conscious and purposeful in that pursuit don't you think? Our mother-attitudes can change the mood of our family, whether good or bad.

Maybe sometimes, we miss opportunities of happiness because we say "no" too quickly. I know I have. My happy, little shopping trip showed my that.

Wiser far than human seer,

Yellow breeched philosopher!

Seeing only what is fair,

Sipping only what is sweet...

Leave the chaff and take the wheat

from Ralph Waldo Emerson's The Humble Bee