Eat your Tacos

Over Christmas vacation, our whole family went to a vacation house my grandparents co-own in Grand Lake, Colorado. It was fantastic and we stayed there for a full week. One night, we had tacos. That same night, Gwen was on a drama-bender. She didn't want to sit, eat, be happy, or really, just exist. So she sat in her chair and gazed mournfully at the taco sitting in front of her.

"I'm sad mom...sad. Mom? I'm sad. Saaaaaaaaad. Sad. I'm SOOOOO sad, Mommy!?"

"I'm sorry your sad honey, maybe if you ate your taco, you wouldn't be so sad" I replied.

"Nooo...." she said definitively "I don't want to eat my taco."

"Why?" I asked, only somewhat interested in the reply...mostly because it was predictable.

"Because I'm SAD!" Gwen replied, helpfully.

Please let me state here that I DID ask her why she was sad, and that was answered with a pensive  'Because....'. There was also no real reason for the child to be sad. Surrounded by parents and grandparent and great-grandparents and aunts and uncles...it had been a fairly fantastic day.

And so that sad talk continued. Gwen declared to all listening how sad she was.

Greg and my dad saw this as an opportunity to goad her a bit and started commenting on how sad THEY were as well.

"I'm sad I have to eat tacos"

"I'm sad it's not Christmas anymore"

"I'm sad we don't have salad"

"I'M sad mommy isn't happier" (Greg added this helpful jab watching my mood considerably darken with all the sad comments as Gwen's taco languished on her plate.)

I'd had enough.

"GWEN! We are ALL sad. Eat your TACO!!!"

Silence fell over the table as my entire family looked up at my outburst. Gwen bowed her head and with all the panache of a greek tragedy put her food in her mouth and sadly chewed away.

Then she smiled. It was like the sun came out from behind dark clouds and the room considerably brightened.

"WOW mom!!! This is GOOOOD!!! Great job!!!"

I love Gwen, she is a turbulent and unpredictable as the Bearing Sea. And that night, she didn't starve to death on a hunger strike declaring her sadness with...whatever.

Mission accomplished.

Though I'm losing YEARS doing this job.

Years.