Count Down to the Next Place: 2013

Discovering life through the eyes of a child is a feeling unlike any other. Smart phones, tablets and fast paced, ever changing technology often thrusts our grown up worlds into such a whirl wind that we forget that we should slow down and smell the roses. For some of us, we have forgotten what being a kid feels like. We have forgotten that in the midst of practices and recitals, academics and sports, kids need to have a chance to be kids (before it’s too late). We ought to let the little ones set the pace sometimes. Let them wander aimlessly through the Target without hurrying them along and shooing their little hands off every toy they pick up. Let them play in the mud and dance in the rain (at least once) so that they can say that they have. Those wide eyes looking at you now, will be wearing eyeliner before you know it and those sweet soft lips will be doused with gloss and you will wonder where the time went.

The simplest things inspire awe and evoke wonder in a child. If you are not careful some of that innocence and wonder just may rub off on you. This summer it rubbed off on me. Summer of 2013 has been deemed the “Summer of Wonder” seen through the eyes of my children. I must admit that although I have seen a lot of this vast world I can honestly say that seeing just a little bit of it with them was just as spectacular.

The four year old traveler has become the six year old traveler and she has shared her love for going places (any where will do) with her little sissy. This summer they studied Spanish and actually retained a word or two, they traveled to the Smokies (Gatlinburg) to see the sharks and dinosaurs and Dolly and the Titanic. They began the arduous process of learning to swim and found that the water was fun. They rode bikes and played at the park. The fair was fun too. They rocketed to outer space (at the Science Museum). The youngest one turned 4 like a super star, as only a rock star of her caliber could. And they rediscovered taekwondo; Jeda earned an orange belt. It was quite a full summer for a six and four year old yet they never quit. They kept wanting to play. And you know what? I let them play. They played until their little hearts were content (and very tired). Why? Because as I watched their sweet little faces light up with glee at the tiniest little things, my mind quickly fast forwarded to the day they would be done playing and would be waving good bye to me as I dropped them off on the steps of the university.

There may never be another summer quite so precious in their lives, but my husband and I have vowed to make each one here after as precious as possible. In that way, we can give a gift that lives forever. What’s that gift? Memories. Childhood is fleeting but memories never die. Maybe one day when my girls are grown with children of their own they will play with their little ones. Maybe they will remember that at least for a few moments in life they had not a care in the world. Maybe they will think back to a time of innocence and freedom and be better for the time they spent just being children.