Childspeak

We’re walking in the snow, Day in the wagon, when Daddy catches up to us. Ken says, “Hey, Day!”

She says (just as enthusiastically), “I’m in the wagon!”

And here’s what my friend says:

“Sometimes Day says things that make me wonder, Is she really as clever as she seems? Or are we just so grown up that we don’t speak childspeak anymore?”

And a lot of Day’s responses to the world have me wondering the same thing. Mostly, “Where in the world did that come from?” And really wanting to respond to the world the way she does.

That got me thinking. And took me back to another exchange I had with above mentioned Daddy over 13 years ago. He looked to be busy constructing something. I imagined he had a grand scheme of some sort and I spent several minutes wondering what in the world he was doing. I had multiple theories. Finally, I asked. His response: “Jumpin’ on a bucket.” Like, duh.

So simple.

Yet so present.

My natural response is to look for a hidden meaning, some deeper resonance, a connection or insight that somehow I’m just not getting but not for lack of trying. I assume there must be some shared understanding that I’m not a part of and it fuels more questions, a few worries, and insecurities. And I’m always thinking about “what’s next”, and “why”, and “what if”…

Sometimes, if I’m lucky enough to snap out of it, I can step back, relax and see the beauty in NOT looking for those things. Because honestly, sometimes I feel more peace when I’m not searching. And it’s ok not to know. The less I seek my source for some definitive…

So, my hope for the new year is to be more like my husband and daughter. Clever. Observant. Then on to the next thing. Enjoying life along the way.

They were meant for me.