So today, with only 4 weeks to go until the end of the year, I did my first kindergarten duty at my boy's pre-school. I had the time of my life, I think I had more fun than the kids! {and was probably more tired by home time than they were; goodness, I had to come home to a warm fire and a cuppa after playing outside in the rain and in the sandpit}
Twenty-two 4 & 5 year old boys and girls at 830am on a Friday: can't beat the energy level in that room. It made me buzz with delight. I never EVER have energy that early, I usually take a while to warm up but I was on fire. Yelling out the rules of tiggy, hide-n-seek and Duck Duck Goose. Laughing and giggling with the girls when they talked about the boys in their class. Giving out cuddles to those who fell and scraped their knees trying to run and keep up with the others.
I'm not sure what it is like for parents around the world, but in Australia, "kinder duty" I think is a rite of passage for any Mum. In the old days {when I was a kinder girl}, kinder duty involved coming in to kinder during a morning session, cutting up fruit {usually apples, bananas and oranges} and pouring glasses of milk for all the kids. Then you'd serve all the kids their healthy snacks, maybe read a story to the kids then go home.
Today was the time of my life because every kid, like TWENTY TWO of them, listened to me and more importantly, had exciting news for me and wanted me to join in their games.
My son was pumped I was there, and he was a pleasure to be around. The teachers saw my presence as a welcome break from this busily active group of dreamers and I happily took over the fun and games. I'd lost my voice by 11am but was so happy to be out in the weather.
I forgot how magical it was to be 4 and 5 years old and the biggest drama in your life was either waiting for a swing, trying to get sand from the sand pit out of your shoes and not being happy with the snacks Mum has packed for you.
I have a good memory {usually} and can remember a few things about my kinder year at Roycroft Kindergarten. I loved reading stories and story time. I loved my Mum bringing my sister in for kinder duty so I could show all my friends how big I was as a big sister {I was the smallest of all my friends}. I loved playing "families", "shops" and "schools" with my friends Cassandra, Belinda and Elizabeth.
I ended up remaining friends with these girls until we all went to different schools for our high school years. I remember being chosen as Mary {as in Jesus' mum} for our end-of-year kinder play. I had one line, which my Mum reminded me of many MANY times as I grew older. "Well that'll have to do then", I said to my pretend-husband Joseph {one of my friends who was chosen to be Joseph purely because his name was actually Joseph} of the stable I was to pretend to give birth to my dolly baby Jesus in front of all the kids' parents.
I remember hatching chicks in incubators, playing with bunnies in the play yard, doing lots of paintings, writing stories, playing dress-ups.
I look back tonight at this magical, dreamy time and push myself to try and remember every detail. It seems like so long ago, it was 27 years ago to be exact. Clearly my life until now, like most people's I imagine, has gone by really quickly. Until this week, I have always worried about the future and reflected too deeply on the past. I've taught myself and learnt the hard way that this very second is the most important in my life. Blink and you will miss so much. In my mind, I feel like I'm about 19 or 20 years old and I love it. My body doesn't feel so young thanks to some pretty hefty arthritic patches. And after two children, ouch. It just doesn't keep up with me as well as it used to.
I can't describe how time going by quickly make me feel. It scares me. I don't want my life to ever be over. Life is too short. You really only get one chance at every thing. You can go back and re-attempt to create moments in your life but really, one time is all you get. At everything. So just enjoy yourself, don't sweat the small stuff and don't look back unless it's to fondly remember how privileged you are to be living right now.
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