This is as universal an experience to people who have kids as John Stamos is to humankind at large. Four year olds aren't mean, but, goddamn if they can't just crush you. I fell in love with Louie the show at that moment.
Today, I spent the day with Laney who is literally my favorite person on earth. If I had the chance to spend the day with Jesus, John Lennon, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Oprah and Heddy Lamarr or the day with Laney, I would pick Laney.
Still she keeps wanting to describe her Minecrafting experience to me. I should listen. I should be concerned and aware of the video games she plays. But I'm reading this good book and I don't understand Minecraft and can't it just be quiet for a bit? And I know that the time is coming when she'll aim to separate her life from mine in a way that will be so painful. But knowing that doesn't make me care about Minecraft and knowing that doesn't make me want it …. just… shhhhhh!
An hour or so ago, Laney went to bed, but did not fall asleep. I was sitting on the couch trying to catch up on last week's Louie and Laney kept calling to me to come upstairs to give her another hug (and I love to hug Laney!) and then she told me that one of the dogs (it was Ginger, that asshole) had peed on the rug and please one more hug and could she read for another 5 minutes and all I wanted to do was to watch Louie and just have a little time just for me when the comedian Greg Fitzsimmons (I think) shows up across the TV table from Louie CK and begins to chide Louie for being afraid of being lonely and says:
Lonely? I love my wife. I love my kids. But, holy shit, lonely sounds like paradise to me.
The thing is, of course, there is no paradise for those of us who walk the earth. And I wager that those of us with children wouldn't trade them for paradise if it were possible. We love our kids more than we love paradise. But, goddamn if there aren't times when lonely sounds like paradise. And who'd have ever thunk it? And how wonderful is Louie for putting it out there in that weird, beautiful way he does?
