04 Apr The discipline of the long pause.

This afternoon we went swimming. Afterwards, when we were in the changing rooms, putting clothes onto still damp skin, one of my daughters said 'Where's my other shoe?'. Almost before she had finished the sentence I replied 'Have you tried the locker?'.  So far, so profound. Immediately - before the words had completely left my mouth - she had found the shoe on the bench under her towel. And a thought flashed across my mind, 'Why did I answer so quickly? She would have found it without my intervention.'  And I have been realising, this is what I do. All the time. I jump in...