Wonder

Yesterday, Brian needed some help so he reached out to our nephews to lend some muscle.    Our oldest nephew brought our great nephew/his son, Taylor.  Taylor turned two in October.  With his constant chattering and exuberant personality he is a magical presence.

While the men did their manly stuff, Taylor led me on a journey of exploration.    You see, looking through a child’s eyes is a whole lot more entertaining than my own.    First, he babbled about my walkway.  The only words I deciphered were choo choo and tracks.  He thought my walkway was a railroad track.   When I looked at it, I had to agree.  That idea had never occurred to me.    Then we went on a hike to investigate the squirrels who were busily gathering nuts.   He bent down and started an intense conversation with these creatures.  As if they understood him, they paused, looked at him with awe, and then went about their business.   When they scurried up the tree, Taylor grabbed my hand and we ran to find where they went.   The squirrels frolicked with each other and Taylor giggled with glee.   When we could no longer see them, Taylor grabbed my hand in search of a new adventure.

Since my boys are older, I forget how fresh the world looks to children.  The newness and awe are never wasted on them.  They are the epitome of hope and wonder.    Their eyes and heart aren’t tainted yet, so it is so easy to see the goodness all around them.    Spending time with him shifts my distorted mind into a imaginative play land full of joy and fun.    Thinking we all need a little childlike wonder every once in a while.