Mama-Come-Lately

When I was in high school I had a friend with a wacky aunt. She had wild hair and wild toddlers and a messy house. I recall thinking she seemed a little out of control, but I also recall thinking she was pretty awesome because she was having a lot more fun than the other grownups I knew.

One day she was roughhousing with one of her kids, rolling around on the floor with him (or maybe it was the girl) in her arms, sort of like they were a two-part ball. Witnessing it made me wish someone had played with me like that, with pure glee and physical abandon.

Whenever I toss my kid in the air, or blow raspberries on his belly, I aspire to match the spirit of what I saw that day. At the very least, I try to make my baby giggle like I heard her child giggle almost 30 years ago.

Thanks, Marcia Sindel, for showing me that wild can be good.