Peace and Quiet

"I'm a silent 'e,' Elliot," Vince said.  "What letter are you?"

We were out in the garden working, or at least Anna and I were.  Vince and Elliot were having an odd little conversation of their own.

"I'm a silent 'L,' Elliot replied.

"There's no such thing as a silent 'L,'" Vince told him.

"Yes there is," Elliot told him.  "I have one in my name!"

It is odd to me that my children both thought they were silent letters, because they are far from silent in every day life. 

I have thought that it would be nice to have twin girls and name them "Peace" and "Quiet," because that would be the easiest way to obtain both peace and quiet in my home.

However, I know that there will come a day when our children are gone more than they are home.  There will be days when the conversations at the dinner table will have a lot less cackling of laughter and fewer interruptions and a lot more stillness.

I don't know how much I will miss all of the non-funny comments followed by hysterical giggles, but I certainly will miss the fun of a family growing up together.

It seem to me that we tend to long for that which we do not have.  I would enjoy my children as they are now -- giggles and all -- rather than long for peace and quiet that I don't have.

I would have joy in each season of life, be they noisy, or quiet.