Lilka, a little beautiful 4-year-old blonde girl with curly hair, has just opened her eyes. She stretched, yawned, and hugged her favorite stuffed, long-eared rabbit tighter. She covered herself with the blanket tighter and was just about to lie there and stay as she was when she heard voices from downstairs. And not just any kind! She heard clanging sounds, quiet bustle, the gentle creaking of cabinets and a clatter. A clatter like a cup on a kitchen counter. Then she heard that one more special sound of the mysterious thing that adults call a coffee machine. All these sounds could only mean one thing – mom was already up ❤️
Lilka gently lowered her little bare feet to the floor, threw away the blanket and tightly grabbed her beloved, fluffy, long-eared rabbit, rubbed her eye and then, stomp, stomp, stomp, pulling the mascot behind her, she left the room and started going downstairs. With this joyful stomping, she wanted to welcome one of the most important people in the world to her. Even more important than her long-eared, fluffy rabbit 🙂 and everyone knows it’s not easy!
As she went down one step at a time, and she had only gone three of them, she looked at her mother again. She was standing next to the open door to the backyard, which for some reason the adults call the terrace. She stood still and just held the cup. She looked a bit like that statue they had last seen in that strange park with no playground. It’s incredible that she didn’t even hear Lilka coming down. She always notices everything! The slightest cough, whimper, sneeze – she knows everything and hears everything! How is it possible that she didn’t notice her now? Was she enchanted?
And she was about to go further down when she heard a quiet “pssst!” from above. Her still sleepy, beautiful blue eyes looked up, where her older sister Maja, who looked very much like her, was standing behind the rungs on the first floor. She had her finger to her lips. Lilka knew this sign from so many games! She knew that she had to go quiet, as quiet as possible, when her sister’s hand called her back to the first floor. Lilka gently tiptoed towards her sister, but with a grimace of dissatisfaction on her face because she wanted to hear her mother’s voice. However, she came back and asked what was going on, but very, very quietly, because they were playing “pssst!”. And the older sister said in the serious voice of a teacher calling people to order:
– Lilka, don’t go to your mother now.
– But why? – the younger sister was surprised
– Because adults said not to disturb when someone is thinking, the older one replied firmly, although she didn’t quite understand what all these adults meant. However, she liked it when her sister looked at her with admiration and curiosity when she told her something serious. She felt so important then. So she said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world, and Lilka should already know and understand it.
– And what is Mom thinking about that I can’t go and say hello to her?
And then they both looked at her again. Meanwhile, Mom was standing in the same position and still looking into the distance. Or maybe she’s not thinking about anything at all right now? Or maybe her thoughts are now running like rabbits in a meadow – quickly one after the other? Or do they float slowly like clouds in the sky?
And that’s how it was… their mother’s thoughts were moving slowly in her head, and she wasn’t attached to any of them. She stayed with one for a while, then let it go and let another one come. She thought about how beautifully the apple tree in the distance was blooming, how the sun was already warming her face and how nice it felt. She stopped for a moment at how amazing the garden smelled and how wonderful it all combined with the coffee in her hand. She was simply here and now. In peace. She never even realized that this is what she actually likes coffee the most.
For this, means for what you ask? For giving her that moment of pause. For not thinking about the thousand things that are waiting for her to do that day. You won’t believe it, but then she doesn’t think about dinner, the dishes to wash, the laundry to do, the bills to pay, or even to make breakfast for you. Instead, she watches the world around her. Maybe there are other things that adults like for this reason?
Maybe that’s why my mother’s friend likes running? And another of her friends hiking in the mountains? And this distant friend from school maybe that’s why he likes reading books so much? Everyone probably has their favorite thing that they like to stop at! Just like all children, when they play in the sandbox, swing on a swing or play with dolls 🙂 A moment alone with coffee for adults is just such a moment of fun. And sometimes not alone, but with someone else who is worth staying together with. Maybe even talk about important or slightly funny things. Be in company. In silence or in conversation – but together, close.
Meanwhile, the girls’ mother took another sip and seemed to have returned from another world. She looked at her watch and turned towards the stairs, thinking it was time to call the girls for breakfast. She didn’t understand why, meanwhile, they were sitting with their mouths glued to the rungs and just looking at her instead of going down to her as usual.
She just smiled at them, and as if on cue, they ran downstairs to her to start this new day.
