Dearest Lita,
Lately I have been thinking a lot about what I most remember from my childhood and young adulthood. I could go on and on but a few things readily come to mind. Spook rides in my childhood home with your late grandpa, playing dress up with my best friend Mary, thrifting and garagesaling with your grandma, playing outside until dark at my Fridley house, many years of matching Christmas outfits with your grandma, time spent with family over countless games of spoons (where I was the sorest loser there ever was, every. time.), traveling to Mexico with your grandma and grandpa John... as I said, the list could go on and on.
You see baby girl, what is so special about these memories is that I remember them. And I remember them, because I wasn't staring at a screen tuning into what others were up to on social media at that moment. Right now, in the year 2014, people (your mama included) are completely consumed in technology, and their smart phones, and what they can learn about others' lives through social media. It is meaningless time spent mentally away from family and friends. It is time spent missing precious memories that are just flying by us while we tune into what everyone else around us is doing.
Today baby girl, we played. We laughed. We danced. We ate dinner at the table instead of in front of the TV watching Elmo or "ditties". You talked about your Papa and showed your excitement over going to see him in "Dulut" tomorrow. You talked about your nanny Abby. You said her name over and over again, you love her so much and she loves you. I watched every wobbly step you took as you still figure out this whole walking thing. We played downstairs on the newly carpeted floor where you chased the kitties around. We read books. You played with your plane. We spent precious moments physically and mentally, together. And overall we had a fantastic night because your mama just set down her phone for a few hours.
You don't need money to make memories. You don't need much of anything. All you need is the people you love and to be fully present in the moment you're in. Whatever is going on in the world of technology as you read this, please find the time to disconnect and be fully present with your friends and family. I am certain when you grow old you won't care about all those times you scrolled through your social media sites. You will however, care about the time you spent with your friends and family that you hold dear.
Even after I write this, I am certain I will still be on social media far too much. I'll need many more reminders to be present but hopefully as you get older we can continue making memories over simple moments just as we did tonight. These memories I'll forever hold dear.
The one photo I snapped tonight. Digging through your day bag and walking around saying "Abby".
Mama Bear
