Last night I lay in bed with my kids and a sea of stuffed animals, talking about a new piece of art that hung in our kitchen.
Me: Are there things I always say?
Ruby: Maaaaamaaaa. You ALWAYS say ‘I love you.’ And we totally already know you love us!
Margot: When we are crazy you say, ‘Sisters. Take it down a notch.’
Ruby: And you always say Oh! Look at the beautiful mountains! Or look at the beautiful dirt! And we already know what it all looks like!
Margot: You are always yelling for us to shut the door so the chickens don’t come and poop in the living room.
It went on for a bit and made me laugh. The things we say over and over again.
Last month I saw an image of a piece of art on instagram and knew I needed to own it. It was meant for me. You’d think I commissioned it. I bought it. I hung it yesterday, in the heart of our home.
This piece resonates so deeply with me because I say these words to my children daily, usually more than once. When the girl’s room is covered in every article of clothing they own and it is time to pick it up. Inevitably one will say But I didn’t DO this. She did! And I say, I’m here too and we will all help. We are all in this together. When secrets and exclusion unfold during a many-child play date. Let’s find a game that feels good to everyone. We are all in this together. When hiking and we pick up somebody else’s trash. It’s not about who left it here or why. It’s about what needs to be done with it, for the animals who live here. We are all in this together. When on a road trip that feels too long for everyone. Take a deep breath my chickens. We are moving forward but it will take time. We are all in this together. When a person makes a choice different than the one we make. People are different and have different opinions. We get to learn from each other. We are all in this together.
It is by Leah Boelman. She stitches yarn through wood and paints. It is easy to love everything she makes. Find Leah here: little green things / on instagram @littlegreenthings
We are all in this together. I believe it. We are a team. Our actions, our choices, the things we say – they are our vote for the kind of world we want.
