There is no laundry that needs to get done, no appointments to keep. And no dishes in the sink that need to be washed

I visit my daughter and her family.

I sit on a couch that I don’t have to clean, close to children I don’t have to dress, and I open a book of their choice — short or long, no matter.

I don’t think about the laundry that needs to get done. I don’t think about the appointments that need to be kept. And I don’t think about the dishes in the sink that need to be washed.

I am Buba.

I just see children’s faces, wanting to read a book. There’s nowhere else to go.

I hold the book in my hands. I feel the warmth of the children next to me. They’re snuggled into my sides.

We get settled. Now it’s quiet.

I hold the cover up for all of us to see. We explore the subject at hand by skimming the book cover. I watch their eyes move rapidly. I watch as they focus on one object. After some time, I ask: What do you think the book is about?