porch sitting...

I can remember my parents sitting on our small screened-in front porch on 18th street. That's it. Just sitting. Might have munched on peanuts or popcorn, or read the paper, but mostly, just sitting. Sometimes the sis and I would play on the sidewalk or on days surrounding the fourth of July we smashed these M & M looking things that made a cool pop when they hit the concrete. Some of the favorite nights were the ones we watched it rain and even danced in the running water along the curbside.

When was the last time you danced in a puddle? I honestly think aside from the time Kevin and I were first dating and got caught in a downpour outside my studio, I haven't embraced a summer shower since early gradeschool. Now all I can think of is how inconvenient they can be especially with errands to run.

Lately, Kev and I have been doing some porch sitting of our own. Admittedly the pace my life has taken in years past hasn't exactly allowed for much of this type of thing. For breathing. For smelling the grass. For noticing the flowers I plant every year. For reading a chapter or two. For sitting. Just sitting and not feeling guilty about it. Honestly it's nice just to turn off the TV and stereo and listen to the neighborhood. Makes me feel old a little, but not too worried about it. In fact, I think I'll wrap it up and head that direction. When I left it this morning it was only under protest. And as grateful as I am to head to a job I love, I think I could actually get used to it.

Have a great night. Take your shoes off. Sit a spell...