movie etiquette

The last movie I went to with a boy was 'The Pursuit of Happyness.' It was a decent movie, though it reminded me why one should avoid a movie on anything but a 3rd date or after. I spent almost the entire time wondering whether we should be holding hands or not. I know, I appear completely committed to staying 14 forever with such thoughts, but it didn't occur to me until we went in that "date protocol" is never more present than in the dark hall of a theater.

Yesterday, I went to see 'Happy Feet' with my brother and his family. I sat between my 3 year old niece, Katie, and my 5 year old nephew, Andrew. Andrew gets scared easily so I knew there would be a point when I might need to ensure he knew he was safe. When the moment arrived and the scariest tiger seal an animator has ever conjured appeared on the screen, I grabbed Andrew's hand. It made me laugh how much easier it was to reach out and hold that little hand than it would have been to grab my date's a week and a half before.

This holiday has been full of kids, as they most holidays have been the last few years. Because I've been an aunt since I was three years old, I've had to remind myself of what it means as I've actually grown old enough to not just be like an older cousin, but to be another adult (albeit a fun one), another authority figure, hopefully some sort of mentor and most importantly, a friend. Two nights ago I had Dexter in my room for the whole night so his parents could get a full night's sleep. He was up at 3, 4, 6:30 and 7:30 - but I was able to comfort him, feed him and check (almost compulsively throughout the night) to see that he was still breathing as he lay sprawled out on the other side of the bed.

I suppose I recount these things because even as I wander aimlessly through the dating game, through the so-called quest for love, I am learning so much more about life as a whole - about the results of love (i.e., kids) and what it means to be a family, to raise a family, etc. Perhaps this is somewhat out of order - or perhaps this is all necessary before I am to find the person who I might start such things with. Either way, it's fun to be an aunt, and I'm thankful for the little hands I've been able to hold, the giggles I've overheard, the funny little bed mates (last night it was Katie who fell off the bed in the middle of our sleepover and was so asleep she refused to get back on the bed and thus slept on the floor for the rest of the night) and all the time with my family I've had this holiday. Blessings abound, and as such, I'm not in want for a whole lot going into the new year.

But oh, what a year it promises to be!