5:30am: Morning Overture- Alarms go off, cell phone ringtones for mama, NPR for daddy.
5:45am: Morning Sounds- the splashing of water on the shower tile, the soft hum of a pump
6:20am: Morning Movement- Refrigerators open, plastic bottles containing liquid gold are dragged over a plastic shelf and placed into a lunch bag. The two of them move throughout the house like pinballs in slow motion brushing into counters, hampers, sinks and each other.
6:45am: Farewell Suite- Kisses and hugs, wishes for good days, the rumble of the garage door as it makes its way up the track releasing him into his day.
6:50am: Water Suite- More splashing water in a silent bathroom. Fans and radios have been silenced so the whir of the baby monitor can take center stage now that only one parent is at home.
7:30am: Reunion Sonata- Old stairs creak as the mama travels back to the nest to wake up her sleeping bird. Baby bird is nestled in his crib but is awakened by an invisible force that tell him that his mama is back. His head pops up and he peers through the rails, eyelids heavy as they resist the call to brush off a now forgotten dream and greet the day. Hugs and kisses as little eyes dart around the room and little hands explore mama's face. Bigger hands coax warm pajamas off of little legs and arms. Sleep well my love? I missed you all night!
7:45am: A Little Traveling Music-The rumble of the garage door and the click of the car seat as it nestles safely into its base. The whir of the motor, the soft voices of the radio announcers as they discuss distant lands and local crises that the mama hopes never impacts her little baby who is now gazing out the window.
8:00am: Joyful Baby Birds- The exuberant sounds of children playing to the chorus of soft sweet voices shouting "Jack's here!" Kisses and hugs as the mama rubs her hand over the soft smooth hair on the head that hides a billion thoughts and curiosities about this place.
8:10am: Wistful Silence - The radio voices grow softer as mama reflects on her day thus far. The sounds of traffic- trucks and horns. Yellow light, red light, green light; incandescent safety officer keeping mama safe on her way.
8:20am: Office étude- The click, click, click of a keyboard and the slower click of the mouse. The whoosh of the air making its way through a maze of vents keeping everyone cozy as they make plans and tackle problems and smile at photos in colorful frames filled with people who are not there but are greatly missed.
~intermezzo~
7:45am: A Little Traveling Music-The rumble of the garage door and the click of the car seat as it nestles safely into its base. The whir of the motor, the soft voices of the radio announcers as they discuss distant lands and local crises that the mama hopes never impacts her little baby who is now gazing out the window.
8:00am: Joyful Baby Birds- The exuberant sounds of children playing to the chorus of soft sweet voices shouting "Jack's here!" Kisses and hugs as the mama rubs her hand over the soft smooth hair on the head that hides a billion thoughts and curiosities about this place.
8:10am: Wistful Silence - The radio voices grow softer as mama reflects on her day thus far. The sounds of traffic- trucks and horns. Yellow light, red light, green light; incandescent safety officer keeping mama safe on her way.
8:20am: Office étude- The click, click, click of a keyboard and the slower click of the mouse. The whoosh of the air making its way through a maze of vents keeping everyone cozy as they make plans and tackle problems and smile at photos in colorful frames filled with people who are not there but are greatly missed.
~intermezzo~
4:45pm: Reunion Sonata Reprise- The click of the key as it unlocks the door. Joyful birds at play. Baby bird looks up at mama with a smile of recognition, tiny arms wave up and down like wings flapping. Mama scoops him up, the soft and airy pant of invisible words as he tries so hard to tell her about his day. Singular consonants and extended vowel sounds express his excitement, his wonder, his fatigue.
5:00pm: Homeward Hymns- The gruff rumble of the garage door sounds happier this time as the gates open into the nest. An old hollow door swings open with a squeak and the silent lonely house is once again filled with energy and life. Zip, zip, zip of a bag as the bottles are whisked away into the refrigerator. The playful tinkling of chimes as the soft cloth toys that dangle from the car seat slide as baby is lifted up for a hug and a kiss. Two feet shuffle across the old hardwood floors making familiar creaks.
7:30pm: Twilight Reverie- From inside the nest the soft click of the door and a welcome "Hello?" Cheerful chatter of days events.
8:45pm: Good Night Moon Concerto- Mama and baby climb the creaky steps back to the nest. The whish, whish, whish of a ceiling fan as a soft light casts shadows on the walls. Soft sucking noises as baby's eyes grow heavy. His brain sends signals to his body to coax it into slumber. Tiny legs covered in warm cotton dance across the mattress as they slow, slow, slow down into stillness. In the silence of the room, billions of charges of electricity dance inside baby's head making sense of all that was seen and heard on this ordinary day. Mama's eyes grow heavy, heavier, and close.
9:30pm: Finale- Creaking under the weight of new feet, the daddy climbs the stairs to the nest where the mama and baby have fallen asleep. The hardwood floors call out "wake up! wake up!" A soft tap on the shoulder and the mama wakes up. The baby is sailing into a vast galaxy of sleep. Daddy carries him to the crib. The soft swish of cotton pajamas against cotton sheets as the weight of his tiny body adjusts into its new space. A click of a light switch, the creaking of stairs. The sound of water splashing against porcelain and the clink of toothbrushes hitting a glass cup. Blankets dance in the air making whipping noise as daddy arranges the bed. The squeak of metal springs as they climb into their own little nest. The humming of a baby monitor which sits perched next to daddy's head. In the darkness it shines bright green letting them rest easy knowing baby is breathing softly and dreaming loudly. Bodies twist and turn finding their most comfortable angle amidst the pillows and blankets where warm meets cool. And then, silence...mostly. Clocks ticking the seconds away, the humming of appliances and whirring of fans. Slow, steady breathing from three sets of lungs. Imperceptible heartbeats and the constant flow of blood through veins. Silence, mostly, as the family symphony takes its repose.
How astonishing your life would be if you listened to its pulse and felt its rhythms. How breathtaking would the tiniest noise be when you isolated it and marveled at its music. What is the music of your life?
5:00pm: Homeward Hymns- The gruff rumble of the garage door sounds happier this time as the gates open into the nest. An old hollow door swings open with a squeak and the silent lonely house is once again filled with energy and life. Zip, zip, zip of a bag as the bottles are whisked away into the refrigerator. The playful tinkling of chimes as the soft cloth toys that dangle from the car seat slide as baby is lifted up for a hug and a kiss. Two feet shuffle across the old hardwood floors making familiar creaks.
7:30pm: Twilight Reverie- From inside the nest the soft click of the door and a welcome "Hello?" Cheerful chatter of days events.
8:45pm: Good Night Moon Concerto- Mama and baby climb the creaky steps back to the nest. The whish, whish, whish of a ceiling fan as a soft light casts shadows on the walls. Soft sucking noises as baby's eyes grow heavy. His brain sends signals to his body to coax it into slumber. Tiny legs covered in warm cotton dance across the mattress as they slow, slow, slow down into stillness. In the silence of the room, billions of charges of electricity dance inside baby's head making sense of all that was seen and heard on this ordinary day. Mama's eyes grow heavy, heavier, and close.
9:30pm: Finale- Creaking under the weight of new feet, the daddy climbs the stairs to the nest where the mama and baby have fallen asleep. The hardwood floors call out "wake up! wake up!" A soft tap on the shoulder and the mama wakes up. The baby is sailing into a vast galaxy of sleep. Daddy carries him to the crib. The soft swish of cotton pajamas against cotton sheets as the weight of his tiny body adjusts into its new space. A click of a light switch, the creaking of stairs. The sound of water splashing against porcelain and the clink of toothbrushes hitting a glass cup. Blankets dance in the air making whipping noise as daddy arranges the bed. The squeak of metal springs as they climb into their own little nest. The humming of a baby monitor which sits perched next to daddy's head. In the darkness it shines bright green letting them rest easy knowing baby is breathing softly and dreaming loudly. Bodies twist and turn finding their most comfortable angle amidst the pillows and blankets where warm meets cool. And then, silence...mostly. Clocks ticking the seconds away, the humming of appliances and whirring of fans. Slow, steady breathing from three sets of lungs. Imperceptible heartbeats and the constant flow of blood through veins. Silence, mostly, as the family symphony takes its repose.
How astonishing your life would be if you listened to its pulse and felt its rhythms. How breathtaking would the tiniest noise be when you isolated it and marveled at its music. What is the music of your life?
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| We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of the dreams. |
love.
ReplyDeleteBrillant and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMagical and musical.
ReplyDelete