This is such a beautiful, sunny, blue-sky kind of
Sunday! And it is one that
hopefully many have taken advantage of and played outside! We sure did… your Mommy and I took you
and Will (both in strollers of course) to the PSU Creamery to grab an ice cream
cone and leisurely eat them while taking a stroll over to the Arboretum and
back. What fun we always
have! But this week I am not going
to write a blog about “our” time, rather it is going to be about “quality time”
you spent with your Poppy.
Final Thought: If you have a memory of a special time
with a special person in your life as a child… don’t hesitate to repeat that
memory or something very similar years later when you become an adult.
Ellie… one of Poppy’s favorite memories was one that his grandfather
gave him. It was not a monetary
gift or a material gift but rather a gift of “his grandfather’s time.” When Poppy was a little boy his
grandfather would take him, and just him, for a trolley ride into Center City
Philadelphia and back (if you are wondering what a trolley is, it is kind of
like a bus on rails. And instead
of running on gas, they run on electricity down streets and through underground
tunnels). Anyway, to a little boy
this was a really cool trip to take.
Poppy told me once that the experience of just looking out the trolley window,
and seeing all the buildings, and people rushing from place to place, and
traveling deep into dark tunnels with your grandpa sitting beside you chatting
about it all was the absolute best.
And because of that long lasting treasured memory, he wanted to somehow
give you that same experience… well maybe modified a bit because the small town
we live in has no trolley cars. So
Poppy asked you the other day if you would like to take a bus ride around campus. Ellie, I laughed because it was like
history repeating itself… you excitedly said, “Of course Poppy! When can we go?” So Poppy set the date for just the two
of you to ride the bus last Friday afternoon. Ellie, I was not present but after talking with him that
evening and you on Saturday, I don’t know who was more thrilled… you or
Poppy! You both talked incessantly
and excitedly about the fun you had.
Here is what I heard:
* First your Mommy
told me that even though Poppy had said that he wouldn’t be over to get you
until around 3:00 pm for your campus bus ride, you waited quite a long time
sitting on the steps outside of your house beforehand… you were that anxious! She also said that you were perplexed
as to where do you go to get a bus?
Never having a reason to ride a campus bus Ellie, you had no
clue that there were quite a few places to ‘get’
a bus!
* Both Poppy and you
told me the same backpack story. Once you stepped onto the bus and
took your seats towards the back door, Poppy said to you that everyone on the
bus was probably thinking that you two were college kids. You replied with a “No Poppy… I don’t think so.” When Poppy asked you why, you continued
with, “Well, we forgot our backpacks so they won’t think we are college
kids! Maybe next time I can bring
my princess one!” Poppy smiled and
happily agreed.
* Poppy told me
that one of the things you were really amazed at was the sheer number of buses
that passed by while you two were traveling both on and off the bus. You were constantly saying, “There goes
a bus Poppy! Oh boy, there goes
another bus Poppy. And another
one! And another one!” You, my sweet little Bean also told me the
same story. You were completely
boggled by all the buses out there!
* Poppy told me
that when you first got on the bus its number was 18. He also said that you had no idea that when you exited the
bus that it was at the very same stop where you began your journey! Apparently when you completed your bus
loop so to speak, you and Poppy went to have ice cream. And you got quite excited when
you saw that same bus number (18) pass while Poppy and you were sitting outside
devouring your treat! When I asked
you the next day what your bus number was … you had to think for a minute and told me, “ um I think there was a
9 and a 1 in it.”
Giggling I thought to myself… close enough!
* Poppy told me
that the long yellowish plastic ‘string’,
which was located above the windows and ran the whole length of the bus, really
intrigued you. As badly as you
wanted to randomly pull it, Poppy had to remind you that that was a “no-no”
because every time it is pulled, it’s telling the bus driver that someone needs
to exit the bus. You told me there was a string on the
bus that you were now big enough to pull because you are almost 5 years old and
Poppy let you pull it when it was time for you and him to get off the bus! El, you seemed mighty proud of
yourself… all 34 inches of you!
* Poppy told me
that you two chatted about all kinds of things during your 25-minute bus ride
and extended ice cream adventure.
He said that while listening to you he could see how much you have grown
just over the past few months and he soooooo enjoyed this time with you! You
told me that you two saw the Nittany Lion Statue (but didn’t get off the
bus to see it), Rita’s Water Ice Shop and also the Toy Store, which is your
favorite toy store (but you didn’t get off the bus to see those places
either.) You said you just saw
them from your window!
* Poppy told me the perfect ending to
your bus ride adventure was visiting the PSU Creamery for some ice cream. And you insisted on sitting outside
even though it was chilly. You told me that after the bus ride you
and Poppy got ice cream in a cup (both chocolate) and you took Selfie pictures!
Ellie, for me it was such a joy to hear about yours and
Poppy’s travel adventure. For the
most part both your perceptions of “The Bus Ride” were quite similar. But I do believe that this story will
change some through the coming years.
Over time, “The Bus Ride” will become bigger, grander and more
personal. That is quite normal as
it is something we all do when we want to hold on to a memory from our
childhood that involves someone very special to us. By the time we (the child at the time) become the adult, we
want that memory to be nothing less than perfect.
Remember Ellie that you can’t buy ‘quality time’ with
money. Even though it comes
with lots of perks such as adventures, memories, one on one conversation, and
oh so much more… all of it is free.
You see… ‘quality time’ is priceless. And if you are lucky enough to experience it in your
lifetime, then make sure to repeat this gift with the generations that come
after you. If you do El, you will
have given and received the greatest treasure of all…. Love.
Love Mimi
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