'Tis a gift to --- do nothing.

Computers, Blackberries, Facebook, Tivo, NetFlix, microwave ovens--I'm not a big fan of technology but have to admit I use--and take advantage of--it. Sometimes I feel like a hamster on a treadmill--or one of those desk gadgets that has the silver balls and once you drop one ball to hit another, the balls will continue to force the other balls to move and they, in turn, will force those same balls to move-----you get the picture.

Slowly, I am warping into a new phase in my life. We won't say it's old age--just a realization that SO many things I do are unnecessary and SO much of life is missed as I hurl myself into the human rat race. Let's call it maturity. The #1 contributing factor to this new recognition is Justice. Mi nieta tienes quince meses. All my grandkids are the BEST but I am especially blessed to live close enough to Justice to spend time with her one or two days a week. When I say time--I mean time. Not the hurried, multi-tasking, hell-bent acitivities that too often fill my day. No, this is time in another dimension--the baby dimension. Time that caters to no technology, no schedule (except her naptime). This together-time is all the sweeter because I have to give her my absolute full attention. She's walking and exploring things that I've long ignored but that bring squeals of delight from her, followed by squeals of delight from me! How can dropping the pool table balls into the pool table pockets be so fun for the 100th time? How many times do you flip on and off the lightswitch before it's no longer considered a learning time? From this grandma's perspective, the answer is, "As many times as she wants." I'd much rather watch every nuance of expression on her face and try to figure out what, "Ba-ba," "cu-cu," and "ta-to" mean than listen to the most fascinating lecturer on earth.

I have a new favorite phrase, "Doce far niente." Translated, this Italian phrase means, "The sweetness of doing nothing." The very idea is so antithetical to my nature--the old nature--I should say. With Justice, I can't really say I'm doing nothing but that I'm doing nothing in my usual way--so, truthfully, there IS a sweetness in doing nothing with her.

Oh well, I'm rambling but just so thankful the Lord is giving these special times to do nothing and the sweetness that that brings.