Hope in a Box

What I'd like to share tonight is called "Hope in Box"

You see, it all started when our financial institution decided to eliminate their "cash rewards" program - which I never paid much attention to anyway.

But recently, I noticed a lingering 3,000 + points in the periphery of my banking desktop window.

What's that????? I inquired. Innocently. Upon further inspection, I noticed that my rewards PROGRAM had been eliminated. But I had valuable points JUST WAITING for someone to take notice.

Others with more $, could have cashed their rewards in for cars, luxurious travels, jewels, and niceties... but my rewards? Wow. The best I could do with them was a game of Parcheesi.

So? Of course, I ordered it. And, upon its arrival at our home, I answered a million of these:

"what's in that box?"

"what's in that box?"

"what's in that box?"

"what's in that box?"

"what's in that box?"

"what's in that box?"

"what's in that box?""what's in that box?""what's in that box?""what's in that box?"

you getting the idea?

And when my flat-toned answer resonated with the inquiring children, they would ask,

"Parcheesi? What's Parcheesi? Can we play, can we play, can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?"

"can we play Parcheesi now?" "can we play Parcheesi now?" "can we play Parcheesi now?"

We didn't play. Because, I asked the children to wait.

Wait 'til Friday (the game is not that much fun).

Wait 'til Sunday (the game is not that much fun).

But tonight, once the hubs had gone to watch game 7. .....and Nonie had ventured off to sleep. Dec came wandering downstairs asking if I would unwrap the game and play.

"NO!" I thought at first. (Because the game is not that much fun).

But, "Yes" (brightly, smiley, enthusiastically) and so..

Unwrap the box. I played. He played.

Together we played.

He rolled, and counted, laughed, and high-fived... (tiny fists).

I laughed, and watched, savored and loved..... (his whole old soul).

Parcheesi was all that. And then some. I think it may have been a little bit more.

And LONG before I knew it (or discovered it really), my child five times younger than me -

sitting inches away - knew that playing the game was really about... being together.

The two of us. Me and him. Him and me. Parcheesi, aka - "hope in a box".