Let Me Push You Again

I watched a mother pushing her little preschoolers on the swing at the Alpine Park while I was waiting to get my hair cut.  As I watched her from the salon window, pushing back and forth and back and forth, I realized I was getting a huge lump in my dry throat and all teary-eyed.  I wondered when it was that I last pushed my little boy in the park swing.  I wondered if I had done that for the last time.  When did that happen?

I realized it was last Summer, when I was so happy to finally take my kids to the park and have them at an age where I could just simply lay on a blanket and soak in the warm sunshine, without being needed to catch someone at the bottom of the slide, hold up little hands as they hung on the monkey bars, or push the swing.  Finally I had arrived....blissfully I enjoyed the summer...I don't think I was even required in the swimming pool last year.  I could just grab drinks for everyone, save the picnic table, and read on my lawn chair.

Now, as I watched this young mother, I hungered to push my little boy again.  I wanted to go to school, scoop him up in my arms, and take him to the park.  Life is like an hourglass.