I promised her the beach. So we went in the late afternoon. Normally she would be napping but today was full of errands and she slept in the car on the way to the grocery store.

I tried to relax and watch the waves rush in and out. I tried to let my troubles go with them. But they were stubborn troubles and she kept interrupting me with requests for water and sand castles and what kind of shell is this again?

The water was cold so I wouldn’t take off my shoes. I refused to fetch her a pail of water. I regret that now. I should have taken off my shoes. Maybe the icy cold would have woken me up from my stupor. But I’m trying not to let her boss me around so much so I said no. And no, and no and no… on and on with the no’s. No means NO, I tell you!

And then it was time to go home and cook dinner. I let her walk up the stairs by herself, at her snails pace. I waited at the top with the stroller, trying to relax. One by one by one, she sang with each step. And then it rained on us. Not a thick torrential rain but just drops. Nothing that would melt us.

Then, finally, I relaxed.

It’s not the end of the world to be rained on.