Don't Eat Ernie: Redux for Two

Last night, Drew's sister, Lori, posted about planning and playing a game called Don't Eat Ernie (aka Don't Eat Pete). I had no idea what she was talking about, but Drew knew how to play and was excited to do so, so we paused our homeworking for a few minutes of quality togetherness time and a lesson in weird games. The premise is pretty simple in a big group: the group picks an "Ernie" from a board of faces and then whoever is "it" cautiously eats the candy from each square on the board. When they have their hand perched, unknowingly about to snag and eat Ernie, everyone screams "Don't eat Ernie!". We had to make some modifications for just the two of us, like using a wooden spoon and a pot in lieu of a group of screaming people. In the first round, I ate Drew's nondescript Ernie on my first shot, while Drew had to eat the whole board before finding my snaggle-toothed piggy of an Ernie. It was quite fun (so thanks for the idea, Lori), and we ate way too much candy.

Here's our oh-so-exciting game captured on video. Warning: This video contains a minor episode of cheating.

We also had a few significantly more enlightening moments in our evening. First, Drew shared some thoughts on the writing of scripture over time and what it means for people throughout the world. Then, we read the following poem about marriage. I've been thinking about marriage a lot lately, for a number of different reasons. For one, I'm very involved in one and it matters. Two, we've been around a lot of people that are getting married or engaged or talking about it, so it's an ever-present topic. And three, I've recently read some of the most disheartening quotes/passages/discourses and also some of the most beautiful ones about what marriage means and what it's for. I'm still brewing over it all, but this poem struck a chord with me, so I shared it with Drew and now I'll share it with you.

On Marriage
By Kahlil Gibran

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. 

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. 

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

A beautifully important message, I think.

Well, after so much fun and uplifting conversation, returning to homework and studying was a no-go, so instead, we went to sleep much earlier than we should have with tests and papers and such plaguing our futures. Well, we're through those tests and papers now, and I can confirm that the candy, games, conversation, and extra sleep were definitely the way to go.