I love museums. I love how they look, feel, smell and sound (i've yet to taste one). The Husband God Gave Me likes them too, so we tried very much to instill a love of museums in our children. We failed miserable at this one hot July day, when the heat index was hovering around 100 degrees. Having no air conditioning of any sort, we took them to a presidential exhibit at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. They HATED it. I still think it was the second best exhibit I've ever seen. If only I could have enjoyed it without the constant whining of 'Can we go now? PPLLEEAASSEE!!!'
But, the best time I've ever had at a museum happened at the Milwaukee Public Museum. They had a special exhibit at the time about the Rain Forest. It was beautifully done, and extremely interesting. The kids, THGGM and I spent a considerable amount of time in that area. Daughter enjoyed the huge variety of bugs (possibly thinking up recipes?), Oldest Son enjoyed the bats, and Youngest Son seemed to like it all.
What THGGM and I noticed were the school children who were also visiting this exhibit - a wonderfully well behaved group of children. We learned something this day. These children were on a scavenger hunt of sorts, with the goal of seeing everything on the list, and then having the list signed by their group leader.
It was sad to see them running through in such a hurry. Something would catch a child's eye, and you could just tell he wanted to stay there longer...but no. He had to get his list signed and hurry on to the next thing. "Hurry, hurry, hurry" were the words heard most frequently that day.
Upon seeing this, THGGM decided that we would stay in this area until our kids asked to leave. Like I said, two of them pretty much looked at the same things for a LONG time. Youngest Son seemed to most enjoy the Rain Forest feeling of it all.
I learned things from the Rain Forest exhibit that I will always remember. This probably wouldn't be true had I been rushed through it, checking things off my list.
Now my life feels like the Rain Forest exhibit in the museum of life. I'm glad I learned to stop only checking things off my list. I am still learning to enjoy the people, the places and the things that matter most. After all, who knows how long the exhibit remains at the museum?
So, I linger, I ponder and I enjoy.
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5 comments:
I have to strike a balance as museums and art galleries can make me very tried very easily.
Excellent point, Judy, and so well put! Thanks!
Elizabeth
Judy,
I found your blog through Buddy. I don't remember how I found Buddy's blog, but among the reasons I stayed was that he is from Grand Rapids, where our first jeune fille au pair was from.
I will, God willing, soon be where you are, reminiscing about when my kids still lived with me and realizing it's OK they didn't like the museum as much as I did, worrying about becoming too much like my father. One question, though: why do you call your husband "THGGM"? Sounds like the choice wasn't yours, and that had it been, things might have turned out differently.
I love it! Great reminder. :)
The Husband God Gave Me - THGGM - is a very loose translation of how Adam answered God in the Garden, when asked why he ate the fruit.
The Wife You Gave Me gave me some and I ate it.
I also tend to blame other people for my sin.
Except, now THGGM has come up with TWGGY for me, which is The Wife God Gave You. TWiGGY? That hasn't described me since high school.
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Elizabeth, I cannot find your e-mail address. Could you e-mail me?
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