I am furiously typing up a memo to a client, when in the middle of my thought I hear my five-year-old ask if I am done yet. I answer her back that I will be soon. With that interruption I am blocked on where my train of thought went, so I hit the save button. I glance over at my tenacious kindergartener who has organized her Barbies into a scene. All they are waiting for is me.

I flashback to when I had the very same conversation with my mother. Only she was not working on a computer at home, she was resting from the latest chemotherapy appointment. Smiling at the memory of how my mother dropped everything, even her own much-needed naps to play dolls with me. We would play Barbie into court room scenes by day. For Barbie’s night job, she performed on Broadway in the latest hot play.

Now a mom myself, I miss my own mom so much.  With that, I close my computer and ask my daughter where she needs me.

She has dressed Ken and Barbie in baseball attire. They are sitting at a table at which they are being waited on by Princess Ariel. All the dolls, including my daughter, are in summer wear. I ask why they are in hot weather wear, while it is raining outside. She looks at me like I am missing something, which clearly I am.

“Of course they are wearing shorts and t-shirts Mom. Ariel took the spaceship to make her coffee shop job on Mars. It is hot here. Barbie and Ken have the weekend off from their hospital jobs.” She informs me.

We play the scenario out to the way I am directed to do. We clean up and she is off to bed. The next day is the last day of school. I revel in the school pick-up. I love my summers with both my girls. We clear out her backpack which is filled with the folders from class. One book has the last assignment on what she wants to be when she grows up (an “ambulance doctor”). My hearts swells that I may have somehow passed on my gifts from my mother to my girls. By slowing down and playing with my girls they can dream big. They can be whoever they want to be. That trip to Mars just may happen after all. Only you may wish to order the iced coffee when you are there.