“Hurry up!”

“Hurry up, we are going to be late.”

“Hurry up and eat your breakfast. Hurry up and get to bed.”

I started my day with “Hurry up” and I ended my day with “Hurry up.” Sad but true. This was and many times still is my life, where every minute must be accounted for, and we are always rushing to our next destination.

My inner drill sergeant wanted us to “Hurry up” while my daughter with Down syndrome remains unaware of the need to rush. I need to get out the door, while Christina, my daughter with Down syndrome, is deciding which purse she wants to take, and then she takes even more time to fill it with junky, worthless toys until it nearly bursts.

When we had to be at an appointment five minutes ago, she insists on buckling her baby-doll into a car-seat.

When I had only 20 minutes to buy some fresh fruits and vegetables at the Farmers Market, she insisted on petting every dog we passed.

I have a full agenda first thing in the morning, when she asks to go to the park and play.

Ironically, by racing and pushing our children to be the best and brightest, they bypass the development of the traits that make them efficient learners.

Do we really have to join the stampede? Or should we strive to keep the Magic in Childhood?

Let’s slow down! This will be so hard for many of us, I know it will be for me. For instance, when a friend tells me that she will be 5 minutes late, I can think of 8 things to do while I wait for her. I am conscious of every hour, while my child acts like there is no time. Maybe she is on a secret mission to advocate against all this busyness and our messed up priorities.

Maybe children like Christina represent the slow grinding mills of God. A God that was slow to answer Israel’s prayers. A God that was slow to visit the dying Lazarus.

A God that is slow at giving me the answers I want about my girl with that extra chromosome.

I realize I need to sell my house on the freeway and move  to a little, humble House on the Prairie.