This evening, as I was exiting a store, a little girl caught my eye. She looked to be between 2 and 3 years old. She was walking with her family towards their mini van. I knew exactly where she was headed because I'm a mom. Sure enough, right to the small puddle in the parking lot beside their vehicle. She was having so much fun jumping in this Spring puddle. It took me back to when my children were small. Oh we loved the rain puddles. My rule was as long as we were headed straight home, the biggest splash wins the prize. I wish I could count how many puddles the kids and I ran through and jumped in. As I was watching her, tears were forming. Oh to go back to those days. My tiny babies, our blanket forts, our rainy days spent in our pajamas. I was snapped back to reality when the young mother quit looking at her phone long enough to realize what her daughter was doing. She instantly yelled "Stop that! Get in the van!" The next second, the father pushed the brother who appeared to be around 4 into the back of the van and literally screamed "get in!" I was sad.
Children have so much to offer us adults if we'd just take the time to watch them and take some notes. We adults are arrogent and think our job is to mold them, not realizing how they are molding us at the same time.
Children look up and all around wherever they go. They are curious, and have a need to know how the world works. Adults stare vacantly down to the ground or straight ahead to the destination. We are closed off and wish others would figure out how "our" world works. We are selfish, and constantly on a time schedule.
I picked up my children and we went to an abandoned parking lot, and jumped in the puddles. I couldn't help but tear up again watching them and listening to their laughter, so thankful for another opportunity to do this with them.
Thank you to my children, for teaching me to look up, look for puddles and that everything tastes better under a blanket fort. I'm forever grateful for you reminding me of these simple joys. I love you.
