Monday, May 15, 2006

Just a normal day...

Today I stopped for a minute and just watched Nathan playing. Usually I'm playing with him, asking him questions, engaging him...either that or ignoring his play while I put in some laundry or do the dishes or try to get caught up on some other household chore that needs to be done. But today, I sat back and watched him. We were outside, and I sat on the step on the back porch and let Nathan play. He was playing with a green plastic rake that came with his dump truck. He'd use it as a drumstick, and as a hammer, and then he started hitting the dead flower bushes with it. It was something he had never done before, and it just consumed him... for about a minute. But it was neat to watch.

Then he moved on to the dirt. It was perfect for playing in... not wet enough to be muddy and slimy (though I bet he would have liked that too!), but cool and soft and rich. He was tentative at first, and he took his time, but before too long he was completly emerged in it. And then he was on to his next discovery... an interesting silver rock that was just waiting to be explored.


How many times do I rush through something, already looking to whatever is coming next, instead of focusing on the moment and letting it consume me? How often do I try something totally new, not worrying if I'm doing it the "right" way, just allowing myself the freedom to figure it out? When is the last time I did something that made me just a little nervous, only to find out that it was a fascinating place to be? When did I last allow myself to be amazed at the little things, to thank my creative Creator for thinking it up in the first place? I did today, because Nathan showed me how again.

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