When I was younger, I used to attend a Montessori school that was close to my parents’ office. 

This was pre-Kindergarten. So I don’t have the strongest memories about what my schedule looked like. All I remember is that there were some days I would beg *not* to go to school and my mom would comply and allow me to come to the office with her.

I could tell whether I “won” by the direction the car was headed on the freeway (was I really winning though? I’m sure my mom made me believe that I was being persuasive when the reality was I probably didn’t have school that day or I was a part-time kid. Ha). Like, if she made the turn to go “south,” I knew I’d be going to school. And if she missed that exit and continued going straight/”north,” V-I-C-T-O-R-Y.

Honestly, I don’t remember whether I had any pull or not. I just remember sitting in the backseat, hoping we’d continue going straight.

I liked school, but I liked being with my mama more.

Anyway, on those days I got to “play hookie,” I remember nap times in the back room of the office. My mom would push two chairs together. And then she’d open up the filing cabinet in the corner of the room where she stored a pillow and a brown and yellow blanket that a patient had made for my papa. 

She’d lay me down on the connecting chairs and say, “You have to nap. If you don’t nap, I’ll have to take you back to school.”

She’d turn off the light and close the door and eventually I’d drift off to sleep, while she returned to work.

It’s funny the things you remember. 

But every time I am in their office, I notice the black filing cabinet is still there. The two chairs pushed up against the wall. 30 years later and it’s like the room is completely unchanged. It’s exactly how I remember it being when I got to skip school and hang out with my mom.

Yesterday, we went to the office so I could get some bloodwork done.

Since Ishu’s been a little sick these days, we brought him with me because the mama attachment is ALL TOO STRONG right now.

My dad had several patients there so I hurried Ishu into the back room, set down my bags, and picked him up and plopped him into the chairs.

FULL FREAKING CIRCLE RIGHT THERE. 

I just stared at him for several minutes, having flashbacks of my own experience in these chairs. 

I tried to tell him that his mama used to take naps right there when she was a baby. He responded, “Ishu take off shoes.” Ha.

We didn’t stay for long. 

He didn’t end up napping at all. 

But it did make me feel so nostalgic and sentimental. Seeing him sitting there yesterday. 

The chairs I had to nap in because I didn’t want to be separated from my mama. 

The same chairs he sat in because he didn’t want to be separated from his mama. 

It truly was a full-circle moment.