Gesundheit!

Ahhhhh-ahhhh-ahhh-ahhhhhhhhh-ahchooo! And so it goes on. My eyes itch, the back of my tongue itches. I play the rotating pill game because my body becomes immune to whatever it is I am currently taking if I am on it too long, or some nonsense. I hate anti-histamines because they make me have medicine head. I loathe medicine head!

My grandma name is Babika. 'Nother story, 'nother day. My 28 month old grandson is learning manners and spends his afternoons saying, "Bless you, 'bika! Bless you, 'bika! You want me blow your nose, 'bika? You be all better soon, 'bika! Mama says you not rub your eyes, 'bika, I telling!" Ah, yes, a two year old tattling on me! The wonders of living in a multi-generational family.

Today, not many families live with one another unless in dire straights. And, although there are days I want to pull out hair (and most of it not mine) I am intrigued with this process and in love with my family, which is quite ironic. We have four generations under one roof right now. The other day my daughter said, in a bit of a pique, "I'm twenty-five, I don't think I'm obligated to report to you where I'm going or when I'll be back!" My reply, I am sure, was kind and filled with the sage wisdom of an elder.

I remember the last time I felt as if I was not answerable to anyone and I remember distinctly what I was doing. When I am only accountable to myself, I don't know that I like myself. When I don't think about the ripple effect, when I just scratch whatever itches whenever it itches wherever it itches without scratching for someone else, I just end up feeling disgust. You only go around once, I sincerely believe. You meet people and the moments that occur with them once. There might be 525600 minutes in each year but they are each, distinctly, different minutes. We shouldn't waste them.

While none of those moments are anything to sneeze at, I wouldn't trade a single one of them away and miss the chance on hearing a tiny, voice clearly sing out with love, "Bless you, 'Bika!"