Oh! Go Fly A Kite!

We literally did the other day.  I had purchased a few kites for us to fly as a family a few weeks ago, and last week it was finally pretty and windy enough for us to be able to participate. 

I assembled my Paw Patrol kite and the Iron Man kite for my middle son, Cooper.  We went to an open spot in a parking lot, and after testing the direction of the wind I let the kite take its flight.  I was trying to keep the line taught, and also give it enough string to go higher and higher.  

I was loving being outside in the sunshine and the wind that accompanied it.  Cooper and I just love the wind.  If it’s windy outside he will always comment about it, and we will close our eyes to really feel it beat into our face.

I thought to myself. “I remember flying kites with my Dad during my childhood, and now I am doing the same with my own children.”  What a simple, inexpensive, yet memorable activity with which to make memories.  It turned out to be one of the best days I had had in a while. 

I thought, “Thank you Lord, for allowing me to have this time.”  “Thank you for showing me that there is joy in the simple things if I will just take the time to do and then appreciate them.  

I have this thing that I say “Will what I am doing matter in 5 years?”  Will it have a lasting impact?”  If I think about this event and spending the special time with my sons, then my answer would be “Yes.” 

So that leads me to ask “When was the last time we “stopped to smell the roses,” or just appreciated the simple things in life?  I hope through the quarantine and us having to be a little more creative with occupying our time, we have been able to do this. 

Everyone wants to “get things back to normal.”  I get that, truly I do.  Maybe, though, we shouldn’t try to rush back to “normal”. Maybe we should ask ourselves to what activities should we NOT go back? 

Personally, I hope to continue to find joy in the small things, the little, yet intentional, moments where I appreciate time spent with family or friends, the beauty and wonder in the weather, the healing properties of touch, a well brewed cup of coffee, or something that inspired a true belly laugh. 

So let’s “Go fly a kite.” Let’s appreciate the little moments that until recently, we have all been too busy to do so.  I hope we will always ask ourselves, “Will what I am doing right now have mattered to me or someone else 5, 10 or 50 years from now?’

If the answer is yes, then do it!  Do it intentionally, and do it WELL!  

Love, 

Brandi Bell