The Turn

Why does it turn?

The climbing in daddy’s lap, ice cream sandwiches on the porch without a care in the world, trust, laughter, naps on Sunday’s.

Why does the innocence and joy bursting from inside these little souls turn into snip and barb and cold comments and knife? You are the king of their fantasy world and nothing you do is wrong, when you know it is.

Something turns, and something changes in those later years.

The snuggles and cuddles become cold stares and parties where you’re not invited. The bedtime stories and wrestling on the floor and laughter at farts are turned into what appears to be important and adult things.

Biology, grades, colleges, dates, social events, and future dreams. Nobody has the guts to tell you these are not adult things and these are smokescreens of adult things because adult things are much worse.

The turning is coming and the turning is real for those who have walked the path of parenting. Or just good old fashioned human interaction.

Hang on to the childish things and ice cream sandwiches at midnight and movie marathons on Tuesday’s.

When the turn comes don’t be surprised and don’t be happy about it.

It just is.

But show grace and pray like crazy the turning will be a turning back.

When we see the adult things and the important people and responsibilities are drawing us away from the good stuff.

Like books on an autumn day next to a fire, Smores in the backyard on a Friday, and impromptu visits to Max’s for double cheeseburgers and onion rings on a Monday.

I don’t know when my turning happened. Sixteen, maybe seventeen.

When did I come back?

Still working on it.

Don’t miss the grace and aliveness of what is right here and now. The turn is no fun and the turn is not forever I’ve heard.

But the turn is real and I want to hang onto the past although the past is gone.