Spring 2014

Spring in Beijing lasts as long as a whisper in the wind. In some ways it is the perfect spring, as short as it needs to be. In some ways it is the most in-perfect spring, never as long as you want it to be. For me, this was the spring that I will always remember as being felt and not heard after two worthless winters of darkness.

This tale doesn't start from today but the story told here will. I arrive to the kid's home after a perfectly delightful May 1st holiday and Elisa runs up to me happily hugging me and saying "baba, baba". Lydia comes flying around the corner of her bedroom and hugs me the same. Aidan offers a cool hipster "hey bobbie" which carries no less love. During the two winters darkness this was the very scene that ripped me like shredded glass opening my chest. Today it felt fill of joy, light, and hope.

I take Aidan out to Chaoyang Park to play some basketball. Aidan and I have been on a quest to find a basketball court for some time but haven't had any luck so we head to the one place we know has courts available. On this day, however, there is a basketball tournament going on and all courts are taken. We instead take a stroll around Chaoyang Park chatting and dribbling the basketball before heading back. The kids and I have penne pasta with meat sauce, Elisa's favorite, and then I take Lydia out.

Lydia loves to draw and I love her drawings. On the eve of the holiday I was lucky enough to go to Art Beijing 2014's grand opening and knew right away Lydia would love the contemporary art pavilion with its hundreds of interesting exhibits. I was able to use my opening night ticket to also take Lydia today and once we got inside I could see Lydia was really excited. Her excitement is like mine; demonstrated by an absence of boredom. Actually it is more than that, Lydia was walking from exhibit to exhibit on her own stopping at art she found interesting, funny, clever, or stupid. I loved seeing her mind and spirit engaged in such a pure way. Loved it more than I could imagine. We made our way through a brief spring shower to the classic art pavilion which was less interesting to both me and Lydia. When we emerged to a rain free sky and fresh air I practically skipped to the car.

Later all four of us are doing the T25 "dynamic core" workout in my living room since I am behind on my workouts and Aidan could do with a bit of exercise. Elisa dropped out after five minutes and ate cookies on the couch but Aidan and Lydia made it through all 25. During butterfly crunches I noticed a women in the apartment across the open space from us, crouched and smoking a cigarette, watching our family on our mats. Watching us like she would watch a TV on mute.

It is early evening and I'm watching Elisa at an indoor playground as I type this. Elisa is happily running around with a new friend.