Choose to Linger

Choose Connections

Linger…

…under the covers, squinting at morning’s light when Dog becomes a weighted blanket—flopping her body along mine, stretched from chin to toes.

Linger…

…on the deck, sunning my face like a blossoming bud—hoping no one is home when Dog sniffs out the burrows.

…in Big’s grasp as she buries her face in my neck, delaying the morning’s start—remembering not long ago her face only reached my chest.

…in eye contact as she tells me about her dream, her doll’s story, her outfit choice, her audiobook; verbalizing her life experience—knowing I will listen and she is heard.

…stirring honey into my tea as they fumble with their shoes, lest I rush them at the door—knowing my prodding would likely slow them down.

…on the trail, spotting birds and blossoms, listening for the rustling of critters and snakes—hiking is not a race.

Linger on the trail…

Linger…

…at the river’s edge, soaking up sunshine and connections with like-minded families—leaving sooner means less traffic, but we don’t want this to end.

Linger…

…at the desk, chatting with our library family—keeping us nourished with stories that make us laugh, heal our hearts, and grow our minds.

Linger…

…at the fence with tears in our eyes as we acknowledge one year since our neighbor’s husband passed—saying few words, but sharing the ache.

…in Little’s grasp as she buries her face in my chest after a long day out—remembering not long ago her face only reached my belly.

Linger…

…at the garden center to coo at a young and curious mourning dove, hopping around the bags of soil—realizing bird watching is part of this memory.

Linger…

…outside after dinner when daylight reaches late into the evening and their cartwheels are still spinning—making up for the darkness of winter.

…under a blanket, starting one more chapter even though it’s past their bedtime—reading together smooths out frayed edges from the day.

Linger…

…in the questions and ponderings and one more kiss goodnight that comes even later—tying up loose ends to calm the mind.

…on the couch, crocheting one more row in solitude as each stitch decompresses the longer days of summer—creating blankets that warm them for decades to come.

…in bed with whiskers and a silky ear blocking my book page, her squinty eyes and golden grin vying for my attention before we fall asleep—knowing she’s waited all day for this moment with me.

The summer shift brings more sun, more outings, more hustle. Choosing to linger in little moments throughout the day makes a big impact on our connections with others.

How do you linger in connection? Share a little moment you held on to in the comments!

This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind Coffee + Crumbs.

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