[A view of the walking path at work taken over the noon hour today.]The kids are growing up, and it’s been gnawing at me. At least I’m not the only one, as noted today by Lileks:
I hardly saw my daughter at all, so busy was she with soccer and friends and events, but she made a point of running outside Sunday afternoon as I was having palaver with the Giant Swede, and gave me a hug, just because. A few hours before the Swede had waved to his daughter at the end of the block when I picked him up; she was having a lemonade sale. It’s a good thing kids don’t know that such moments are freighted with foreknowledge of the day when they shrug, not wave, roll eyes instead of smile, slump off with friends instead of skip down the alley in the full free joy of a warm Sunday afternoon. They would wonder what horrible thing was going to happen.
Maybe that’s why we got the dog – or at least why I’m interested. Maybe I’ve been looking for someone to take care of, someone who needs me to feed them and clean up after they’ve gone to the bathroom. Why not have another kid you ask? Sometimes you know that’s just not the solution to your “problem” – but a dog is. Something (someone ) to take care of – but also someone you can stick in his kennel and go off to work. Can’t do that with a kid – or at least you shouldn’t!
Left work early today to mind the dog and be here for M. M it turns out is at a friends until 5:30 so I took Duke down to Como Lake for a walk. He's now stretched out on the floor asleep.
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