Contentment

"The art of contentment is the recognition that the most satisfying and the most dependably refreshing experiences of life lie not in great things but in little. The rarity of happiness among those who achieved much is evidence that achievement is not in itself the assurance of a happy life. The great,like the humble, may have to find their satisfaction in the same plain things."
- Edgar A. Collard

Jacob is home. The weather is spectacular. My much awaited copy of "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest has arrived. Life is good.

It did indeed take two cars to get Jacob's gear home from school. Merv and I haven't been able to figure out how that happened. We took Jacob to school in September with just Merv's SUV. Considering that I brought home a packed car when I picked him up for Easter weekend, and we filled Merv's SUV on Easter Sunday when we brought Jacob back to school, we can't account for why we couldn't do it with just Merv's SUV. Must have some scientific basis related to the laws of expansion. Doesn't matter. He's home. I would have taken a moving van if I had to.

We finally met Tyler, the friend with whom Jacob will be sharing a house come September. Tyler's parents bought a house near the university and have rented it out to Jacob and two girls. The rental price came in a little higher than I anticipated but I don't really care. Jacob won't have to suffer his tiny residence bed in his tiny residence room (which he calls his petrie dish in his jail cell) any longer. He will be happy. I will be happy.

When we got home from Guelph today, we presented him with the titanium watch we bought for him when we were in Aruba. We saved it to give him to honour his achievement in completing his studies this year. We couldn't be prouder of what he has accomplished, how he has conducted himself or the fine man he has become. He seemed very surprised and a little overwhelmed by the gift - especially when he took it out of the box and it adjusted itself to the correct time. It is connected to a satellite and run on solar power. Much to my amazement, the watch came with a CD on how to use it. I can't imagine what all the buttons and dials do on the watch. No doubt Jacob won't even need the CD to figure it all out.

Tonight I will settle in with my new book and my son at my side. For the next four months, I will sleep each night with the peace of knowing he will be asleep in the room across the hall.