One of my fondest memories of when the girls were little was “rough housing.” The origin of this term is wonderfully described in “The Word Detective” (see Roughhousing). Often when I would come home from work the girls would all want to hug me…and three at once was quite the trick. So we would inevitiably end up on the floor with me at the bottom of the pile. When that happened, the mind disassociated with the specific time and space and conjoined with the hearts and spirits of all. It was a timeless and loving feeling. Of course, I was ever aware of making sure no one got hurt. I can still feel the unconditional love and connection with these three ladies. Now in their mid 30s, professionals and with their respective lives, I know this roughhousing will never be resurrected. However, I still think about those times with great emotion and fondness.
