Living the big life

So, what constitutes a "big life"? This has been a discussion on one of my yahoogroups recently, and as a result I've been more consciously evaluating the way that my family lives and explores the world every day.

We read. We read constantly. Poetry, novels, picture books . . . Sass's current favorite is Jack Prelutsky's The Dragons Are Singing Tonight. Spyder is zipping through the classic Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series like mad -- about a book every two days.

We play board games. Sass loves Candyland, as most almost-4 year olds do. Spyder loves playing chess and backgammon and the occasional hard-hitting game of Monopoly. :o)

We talk. And talk and talk and talk. I don't like having the television on, and I think a big reason for it is because it stifles conversation. We talk about fun things (Sass wants to be a princess when she grows up, and she refuses to be persuaded otherwise); we talk about issues (yesterday's was how international politics affects gas prices); we talk about abstracts ("Mom, I think that most adults forget what it's like to be a kid. That's why adults don't ever believe me when I say I'll be a detective when I'm an adult!").

We travel. Unfortunately, finances don't allow us to travel as far or as often as I'd like. Sass is still too small to appreciate long travel anyway. She's just as happy hiking the trails at one of the local nature centers as she would be if we'd traveled long and far to get there.

So what truly constitues a "big life"? Is it one where the family regularly experiences new things? Is it one where the family is just simply happy with each other and themselves? Is it an achievement, or is it always a work in progress?

I honestly think that my family lives a life that's big enough for us. At least for now. Things will change as the children get older, I'm sure. Their lives -- our lives -- will grow with them.