Thoughts on Elmo and Life

 

We went to Sesame Street Live tonight- Millie and I, and her aunt and little cousin. It was a last minute thing, but Millie filled up those minutes before with constant chatter and excitement. We were going to see the celebrities of her two year old world.

We were on our way to see Cookie Monster and Bert and Ernie and Elmo and 'Bic Birt' and sing songs and watch the lights and eat dinner and bring the Elmo toy with us and dance and oh my goodness. And that's just about what we did.

She danced and twirled, sang and clapped, oohed and ahhed at the lighting effects, and sank into my lap for part of the show, pointing every so often at the characters on stage.We went to my aunt and uncle's custard shop down the street afterwards, braving the rain for some dessert before it was time to say goodbye.

And when we were home and Millie was snug in bed- announcing to me she would be cuddling with Monkey and Elmo this time- I curled up in my own bed and opened up my computer.

And I saw posts from friends about people I don't know. People like the man who died in a car crash, leaving behind a wife and two small kids. People like the mother waiting to get a bone marrow donor for her one year old son before it's too late. People like the woman who had a miscarriage after announcing her joy just days before.

Life was so good today. So good. But even in the midst of that goodness, I forgot exactly how good it was- how blessed I am. Because my family is healthy, and safe, and nearly all together again. Because I don't have to worry about Millie's health or this baby's. Because we're warm and sound and surrounded in grace. 

Tonight, we saw Elmo and came home to our beds. Maybe the evening we had wasn't so monumental in the grand scheme of life.

Then again, maybe it was.