dear God, thank you for beauty in garbage

Don't you just love seeing life through a child's perspective?


Last night at dinner I sat next to a friend who has a little boy the same age as ours. Somehow we got on the topic of how children help us to slow down... pause... see things in a new light.

A couple of days ago I was on a bush walk with Levi. We stopped to look at a tall, beautiful gum tree. I've always loved gum trees - their smooth bone-white trunks, their muted sage green colored leaves, and the fresh scent of eucalyptus.

I placed Levi's hand on a part of the trunk where the bark was stripped back saying, "smooth, smooth" and then over to an area where the bark was still in tact saying "rough, rough." 

We did the new-found "smooth, smooth, rough, rough" game a few times. Levi loved it - he laughed and laughed and looked from the tree to me and back again in delight.

I'm not sure if he was laughing at the new experience, laughing at the comparison of touch sensations, laughing at my words, or just laughing because he was enjoying himself. 

No matter the reason for his laughter, it really spurred me to think about the joy of discovery.

I can get so caught up in running here and there, doing this and that, and it's far too easy to let the detail of life pass me by. But having a small child that is learning so much every day really helps me to put things into perspective. He helps me to see things through new eyes and enjoy the small things that I might never notice without his help.

He helps me to see beauty and wonder and joy in a tree trunk... or a garbage can.

Dear friends, what has your child helped you to see lately?

trying to take notice,

adriel booker | the mommyhood memos | 2010 
do not reproduce without written permission