Dear Josh, Sarah and Shane,

From the beginning of your detainment in Iran, 300 days ago, you have been on my mind and in my heart and so have your mothers. I know what it is to be a . I know the depth of it.

As I began this day of enjoying my freedom I decided to approach it as a . To really take the time to just BE with my children and to appreciate all the things I can do today that Norah, Cindy and Laura are waiting to do again with you. To not just hold Elijah’s hand while we walked but to really feel that tiny hand in mine. To not just say “Hey! Great!” as he presented me with a small pot of chives he’d grown and brought home from preschool but to squat down beside him and talk about how we were going to make sure those little sprouts grew into a big healthy plant. To drop what I was doing when Scarlet called out “Mama, do you want to hear a song I made up? It’s called Whales!” And to say yes, just this once, we can all sleep in the big bed.

If this is all starting to sound a little too precious let me point out that it’s all taking place right alongside “everyone else has shoes with laces and I don’t I’m not practicing the piano anymore ever why do you always feed us bread with nuts and seeds in it why can’t we have bread that is more white and comfy he won’t share I always share I can’t find my Panda bear NO the other Panda bear I don’t like sauce on food it’s my turn I never get a turn oh please can we just drive there why can’t you be more like Grace’s mom he traded me his hockey card and now he wants it back I want grown up toothpaste and these pyjamas are too itchy!”

But when you’re taking a day to be thankful for the freedom to be with your children it’s a little easier to smile through the uprisings and to find humor in the pandemonium.

Thank you Shane, Sarah and Josh for asking us to have a Freedom Day and for giving me the opportunity to pay a little more attention, to be a little more present and to appreciate what I have the freedom to enjoy.

Jackie

Post to Twitter Post to Plurk Post to Yahoo Buzz Post to Delicious Post to Digg Post to Facebook Post to MySpace Post to Reddit Post to StumbleUpon

TAGS: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

RELATED POSTS: