Beauty and grace

I'm not big on "inspirational quotes." I steadfastly refuse chicken soup (or any other soup, consomme, or chowder) for my soul. And I avoid movies that have been called "life-affirming" like the plague.

But a few months back when I was reading Annie Dillard's "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek," I was struck by a line she had written about walking in the woods and, well, paying attention:

"Beauty and grace are performed whether or not we will or sense them. The least we can do is try to be there."

I thought about this line quite a bit and thought it applied as much to raising children as to walking in the woods.

This morning, as I was trying to get ready for work (late, as usual), as Vicki and Samson were haggling about who should remove his pull-up and whether or not there would be TV before breakfast (there would not), sweet Jane walked into the room and counted to 10.

I should point out that Jane is not yet two (not until next week, anyway), and while she has lately become more chatty, she's never been a "hey look at me" kind of kid, particularly when it comes to verbal feats. She counted out loud in a voice barely above a whisper, as if doing it only for herself. But we immediately stopped, each of us, and looked at the other as if to say "did you know she could do that?"

At which point she realized she had an audience and gave us this big, beatific smile. Beauty and grace, indeed.

Sweet Jane, you are a wonder.