The Park

We decided to go to the park on Saturday. The girls needed something fun to do, and during my brief visit on Thursday they were so excited to learn that I have a 7-year-old daughter. They were eager to meet some girls their own age, so we promised to meet up on Saturday and go do something fun. Our plan had been to show our new friends some interesting parts of Houston with a trip to Discovery Green. A unique playground, fun splash pad to cool off, and plenty of room to run and play right in the middle of the city. Carolyn and I talked through all the details: she would bring her boys and I would bring Ela. Perfect, enough kids for some good fun but not so many that it’s overwhelming. This was the perfect outing, we thought. We packed a simple but fun picnic: cold cantaloupe cut in bite sizes, watermelon, juice boxes, and plenty of water in a cooler full of ice.

Then, a couple of hours before our agreed-upon time, Carolyn called me, “There’s some confusion about the girls’ ages and whether or not they need to use a car seat.” Being a stickler for car safety, it was easy to feel disappointment and an overwhelming sense of urgency to figure out the situation. I worried, “What are we going to do? How are we supposed to take them anywhere at all?” After going around in these circles for a couple of minutes, Carolyn reminded me (or maybe I reminded her… or did we remind each-other?) that they only just arrived here a few days ago. We will have plenty of time to figure the situation out. We will have even more time to take fun trips to Discovery Green… and to Hermann Park, to Memorial Park, and to the beach. It can all happen, we just need to be patient and take it a day at a time. This is the very frustration the mom had shared with me on Thursday, “I feel like I have so many things I have to do but I have to wait. I can’t do it all right at this moment even though I want to.”

In the end we decided to walk to the little park that’s just down the street from their apartment. We shared our picnic; the kids ran, slid, and played house. The mom, Carolyn, and I got a chance to talk and get to know each other a little more. We asked her, “Did you have parks like this where you’re from?” The answer, “Yes, we have very nice parks.” Of course they do! I don’t’ know what we expected to hear, but it was a reminder: we are all learning.

By the end all the kids were hot, tired, and hungry. And really, no matter where you’re from, aren’t those the universal signs of a successful outing? 

-Erica Stark