Today My Answer Was Not, "Nothing"

It seems that there are certain times in our lives when we are asked some pretty common and predictable questions by friends and family.

One example comes around graduation time with the question of, "Well, what are you going to do after you graduate?'  I know I got tired of hearing that one. Whether it was asked at the graduation of high school or at the graduation of college it is a question asked out of politeness.

"When is the wedding date?"  Seems people are in a hurry to have a happy and in love couple "tie the knot" with a date and ceremony.

"When are you going to start your family?"  Many think that once a couple is married then naturally children just start lining up and everyone is thrilled.

"What are you going to do now that you have retired?"  I know I have heard that one at least 200 times in the past year. And I use to think that I was doing nothing since my defined time as a teacher of thirty three years is behind me.

But this next question is an every day question, a question asked more out of nothing else to say, or a lead into a conversation and  the answer is usually thought about just as little as the question. The question is, "What did you do today?"  And usually I say, "Oh, nothing."

But since my father is living with the knowledge of his pending death I view that question very differently.  And if someone asked me that question today, right now at 2:00 in the afternoon, I would say this.

"Today I enjoyed a cup of coffee in my pajamas, concentrating on the taste, the feeling of the warmth in my mouth, the smell, the steam as it hit my face and the feeling of the cup in my hands."

"Today I baked an apple pie after I went out into the yard, still in my pajamas and picked the apples off of the trees in our yard.  I noticed the many bees, the apples on the ground, the dew on the grass, that some of the apples are perfect and others are bruised. Today I was proud of my pie crust as I rolled it out slowly, I felt no need to hurry today."

"Today I carved a pumpkin while sitting outside on my back porch. I felt the fall sun on my face and I noticed the slippery fruit inside of the pumpkin and the abundant seeds. I carefully pulled back the orange strings and thought of the many seeds that could be saved for a future garden.  I toasted the seeds with butter, why not, no thinking today of calories.  I sat and waited to turn them, starting to smell the roasting smell coming out of my oven. I ate a handful, still hot, and thought them so tasty and crunchy.  An old fashioned activity but I thought that today as I carved my third pumpkin that I was doing it for me, not for a young child in our home as there are no young children living with us at this time."

"Today I dead headed geraniums and appreciated their bright red color.  I made a connection to the trip shared with my parents just a few weeks ago at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. I thought about how many beautiful geraniums they celebrate on their magnificent front porch and our great time there together with my dad feeling strong.  I stepped back and celebrated the color of orange from the pumpkins and the red from the geraniums, looking rather nicely set against the backdrop of our barnwood garage built by my father."

See, today and every day recently, I notice the things that I have taken for granted.  My mom, dad and I recently traveled to a drive in diner in Walled Lake. It is called "The Corner Carhop.  It was a rainy day and I turned to my father in the passenger seat of my car and I said, "I wish it were a better day today, Dad."  He said quietly, "Diana, every day is a great day."
So in the future if you are asked that question, "What did you do today?" Think of all the little treasures that you noticed or could have noticed in your day.

"Thanks, Dad, for making me notice life more. Stay strong. I love you."