Through the Eyes of a Child

He teaches me about life- about things I have not known and have not experienced or perhaps what I have forgotten. The lessons are hard and uncomfortable. They go against how I have come to live. There is freedom in how he lives and sees life. It is through eyes of trust, hope, possibility, and love.

He looks at the smallest speck with wonder. He must touch, taste, smell, and examine everything in detail that comes across his path. He is in awe, excited to show me what he has discovered. The pure delight that engulfs him as he runs down the hill is envigorating. To feel his legs, the speed, the wind rushing by. He does not take it for granted. He does it again and again. His falls do not keep him down. He gets up and tries and tries until he masters the great challenge that lies before him.

I try not to discourage his efforts, to burden his free spirit and determination with fear, failure, or the possibility of pain. I want him to see he can do it. He can try again, and again. It’s okay to fall, to get hurt, to feel pain, and to not give up. It’s also okay to need the kiss, the comfort, the warm embrace of mom. I get to be there. To be a support. To be a platform by which he can find safety and spring forward from.

The words I love to hear him say, “Can I try, I can try”. They warm my heart and bring tears to my eyes. He is not afraid. He chooses to embrace all that is before him. He feels safety, not fear. He is open. Open to possibilities, to experiences, to what could be. I let him try, to experience life in its fullness, to taste hot sauce, and let him feel the burn. Most times he likes it, but not onions.

He has a wild spirit. He loves the outdoors, dirt, mud between his toes, hugging chickens, and going on walkabouts. He is an explorer. An adventurer. The waves do not scare him. No rock or mountain is too high. He is up for the task and will make it as far as he can. He dances and thrashes about simply because he can. He has a body that is made to move and he uses it. He watches himself making silly faces in the mirror and laughs. He does not take himself too seriously. Strange noises often come from his mouth. Always experimenting with what he can do, make, or be.

He is strong-willed. He knows what he wants and is not afraid to make it known. He knows who he is and that is where it stops. He is full of emotions and is not afraid to let them show. He is. There is no shame. He knows intuitively how to express who he is and what he is feeling, but then he moves on. He does not hold on to anything long. He has other more important things to do. He is ready to play.