Today I had the joy of picking up grandsons Joey and Oliver from school and spending the afternoon with them. We took care of essentials first…after school snacks and drinks by way of Subway and Braums. Then it was off to the house to hang out.
I enjoy my grandkids. All of them. One of the things that I treasure is the fresh perspective that I receive about the world through the eyes of these bright children. They aren’t afraid to talk about life and share their thoughts. My earnest desire is to create a safe and encouraging environment in which the kids can explore their beliefs and bounce ideas around. I love their willingness to express what’s in their hearts and minds.
And I value how unique each child is, how they all have different gifts and interests. After we snacked, Joey and Oliver asked if we could build a tent in the living room, while we watched a program on TV. These two are master builders! I was impressed with their creativity in using the materials on hand to build a tent that in the end, strongly resembled a Hobbit House. Joey even took it upon himself to grab a screw driver and do a bit of repair work on the storage chest holding the blankets. I supervised, but he did all the work.
The tent provided the perfect place to play and rest and hide from Carl the dog. They reminded me of Hobbits as they popped their heads out to watch a scene on the TV, one of the blankets covering them like a cloak. Then, in typical boy fashion, after a short time of playing within the tent, it became more fun to fall out of it, wriggling through the many layers of blankets.
We didn’t have much time left to play, but we gathered up plastic water pistols and headed out into the warm sunshine. I didn’t have to be concerned about these two getting their clothes wet. They simply stripped off their shirts, shorts, socks and shoes and with wild abandon and great glee, dashed into the backyard in their briefs. I laughed watching them as they sprayed water from the hose, whooping in sheer delight, their happy faces covered with droplets of water.
Their playfulness was contagious and when an occasional spray of water reached me, I didn’t mind at all. Is there anything more joyful, more soulful, then the laughter and freedom of children? I don’t think so. Thank you boys, for so enriching my day.
