Let the laundry wait.

[KS Toronado]

Last night, I told the kids it was bedtime. Like I always do.
Brush teeth, get your jammies on, pick a book. The usual drill.
Then I heard giggling. The kind that makes you stop whatever you’re doing and smile. I looked out the window and there they were—in the backyard, barefoot, chasing fireflies.
My first instinct? Tell them to come inside. It was already late. We were off schedule. Pajamas were gonna get dirty. Bugs, mud, all the chaos.
But I didn’t say anything.
I sat down on the porch. And I watched them.
They were so happy. Just running around in the grass, trying to catch those little glowing dots like it was the most magical thing in the world.
And honestly? It was kind of magical.
At one point, my son came over, holding his hands together like a tiny treasure box.
“I caught one,” he whispered. “But I’m gonna let it go. I think it likes flying better.”
And just like that, I felt something shift.
I’ve been so caught up lately—in routines, in making sure everything’s “on time,” in getting it all right. But watching them out there, I realized… not everything needs to be so structured. Not every night has to go exactly according to plan.
Sometimes the best moments are the messy, unexpected ones.
So we stayed out.
Way past bedtime.
Barefoot, covered in bug bites and joy.
And you know what?
They still went to sleep.
They still woke up happy.
But I went to bed different.
Because chasing fireflies reminded me that childhood is short. And sometimes, it’s okay to pause the schedule and just live in the moment.
Let them stay up. Let them run wild. Let the laundry wait.
These are the nights we’ll all remember.

credit - unknown

[anciano]

1. Wonderful post! 👏

Thanks for sharing.

[3catwoman3]

2. So l.ovely

And so true.

[central scrutinizer]

3. Fireflies!

One of my fondest memories involve fireflies. A couple friends and I went down to the river with butterfly nets and caught a bunch of fireflies. Eaten alive by mosquitoes. We put them into a brown paper bag. Went to the local movie theater and snuck the bag in. Went up to the top row, set the bag down and opened it. Quickly went down lower and sat down. A few minutes later blinking lights started appearing all over the theater. Little kids were running around screaming trying to catch them. Great fun.

[KS Toronado]

4. Would have loved to have seen that !

[druidity33]

25. Fireflies! Also!

I also have a wonderful firefly memory. I was camping in the loft of a horse barn in Missouri and heading back to my tent nearing dusk. I looked into the adjacent field and saw a literal VORTEX of fireflies flying in slow motion in a giant tornado spiral. Thousands of them? Tens of thousands? Took up the whole field. I was Gobsmacked for like 15 minutes as they slowly spun up and away. I was literally slack jawed and stunned. Never seen anything like it. Never heard of anyone else seeing anything like it. The internet gives me no phenomena that explains it. It was truly AWEsome.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. 💧❤️

[niyad]

6. So beautiful. So true. Thank you for sharing.

[AverageOldGuy]

7. When our two grandsons visit . . .

There are no rules or set times for anything except they must bring a book and read 30 minutes a day.

[Ilsa]

8. Okay, it'll take me a minute to get to my point, but

There is a trilogy by Deborah Harkness beginning with A Discovery of Witches, and there are an additional two books, the last of which is called The Blackbird Oracle. This academic supernatural couple (he's a 1500 year old vampire doing genetic research and she's a witch and professor of history) with brightborn twins ends up spending time with mom's family of witches near Salem, MA during the summer. The kids have magic camp during the day, they visit with ancestor ghosts from 300 years ago, and all kinds of magic and sweet trickery occurs during the family reunion on Midsummer's Eve.

There were about 2 chapters where the kids were crabbing, sailing, wandering in the magical forest, playing in the treehouse, etc. It felt dreamy, like time had stopped and reality became a dream. It's a state that can only be achieved when one is present in the moment and willing to let go.

[patphil]

9. I used to be one of those kisds, chasing fireflies in the approaching darkness of a suimmer evening.

I know it's part of their mating ritual, but it seems to me that Mother Nature made them to be the delight of giggling kids and indulgent parents everywhere.
They bring back memories, and still do when I stand out on my porch in the spreading darkness of the set Sun and watch the lawn going up the gentle hill in my back yard to see the dance of the fireflies.
Ah! One of life's treasures.

[HeartsCanHope]

10. Just lovely!

Thank you for a few moments of joy!

[MustLoveBeagles]

11. Thanks for sharing 😊

[EuterpeThelo]

12. Thank you for this, KST!

It reminds me of my favorite poem from the legendary Erma Bombeck, written when she found out she was dying of cancer. The God reference doesn't resonate personally with me, but the rest of it makes me cry like a six year-old with a skinned knee.

It is because of this poem that I have a pink candle sculpted like a rose which sits on the shelf in my living room that holds both my beloved parents' urns and those of four of my cats.
________________________

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER

Someone asked me the other day if I had my life to live over would I change anything.

My answer was no, but then I thought about it and changed my mind.

If I had my life to live over again I would have waxed less and listened more.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadow over my feet, I’d have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten popcorn in the “good” living room and worried less about the dirt when you lit the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have burnt the pink candle that was sculptured like a rose before it melted while being stored.

I would have sat cross-legged on the lawn with my children and never worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television … and more while watching real life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband which I took for granted.

I would have eaten less cottage cheese and more ice cream.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick, instead of pretending the Earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for a day.

I would never have bought ANYTHING just because it was practical/wouldn’t show soil/guaranteed to last a lifetime.

When my child kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now, go get washed up for dinner.”

There would have been more I love yous … more I’m sorrys … more I’m listenings … but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute of it … look at it and really see it … try it on … live it … exhaust it … and never give that minute back until there was nothing left of it.

[Bev54]

13. I remember one early spring day when the sun was bright and I was sitting in my office

thinking this would be a good day to be skiing. I called the school and asked them to bring my son (10 yrs old) down to the office, I would be picking him up shortly. I told my secretary I would be out for the rest of the day ( I worked with farms so was often out of the office visiting my clients). My son was concerned when I picked him up asking what is wrong Mom? I said wait until we get outside and I would explain. I then said we are going skiing for the day. He is in his 40's now and he has never forgot that day and keeps it in his mind with his own kids.

[sheshe2]

14. Beautiful post, KS.

Thank you 💙

[SWBTATTReg]

15. Ahhh, very nice and thanks for sharing. Sometimes, it's just plain nice to stop and smell the flowers, kick off the

shoes, and enjoy life for a sec...Thanks for reminding us of that.

[lark]

16. So sweet - thank you! nt

[justhanginon]

17. Thank you. Wonderful as I remember the fireflies and those happy childhood evenings.

[Niagara]

18. This is much appreciated, KS Toronado

It's refreshing and productive.


Thank you.

[Hotler]

19. Little monets that are priceless. You are blessed. nt

[Clouds Passing]

20. One night in the meadow near my childhood house I was awed by what it seemed like

millions of lightening bugs flashing off and on. It was a magical sight. 🪲🪲🪲

[AllaN01Bear]

21. howdi.

when i was a small boy , mom and i went from mexicalli to mexico city on the train( 1969). we were going along the gulf of california and the porterr grabbed us kids and exlaimed in excited spanish, fireflyes ,. they were flitting back and fourth in the brush flashing away . we were in the tail end of a hurricaine and the lighting was something else. good memories for the kids.

[elleng]

22. I think it likes flying better.

[hunter]

23. My mom was like that every day.

And she never did laundry for anyone who couldn't do it themselves.

There's the washing machine and dryer kid. You know how they work.

Me and my siblings were almost feral.

Same as our parents.

My parents were as happy to chase fireflies as we were -- artists and dreamers with day jobs.

[BlueKentuckyGirl]

24. Fireflies in December?!

I haven't seen lightning bugs since I was a child in Kentucky and I am now 71 years old so that was many years ago. And I don't think they are seen now where I saw them then. Pollution or climate change has diminished their numbers, it seems. Where ARE you that you see them now?

[liberalla]

26. Beautiful!

Thanks for the lovely reminder to be here now.