I’m sitting in Sky Harbor Airport awaiting my flight to Toronto. A few minutes ago I said goodbye to my cousins and their super cute two-year-old daughter as they boarded their own flight back home. It was a fun weekend out here in Phoenix. I picked them up from the airport on Saturday morning, we met up with a mutual friend who is working on his PhD at Arizona State University and then all of us headed to the zoo. I hadn’t been to the zoo since the week before my cousin’s wedding back in 2004. It had been even longer since I had been with a young child. We looked at the kitties (Lions), the Whino (Rhinoceros), and even visited the Presents (gift shop). Day one ended with some naptime, some Toy Story, and some coloring.
Day Two was my favorite. It began fairly mellow, but then my cousins’ daughter really made the fun take place. She wanted to go “upstairs.” She was fascinated with them. Everything was “upstairs.” She’s coordinated enough that she can climb up and down the stairs herself, but we always made sure an adult was with her–just in case. On one trip up the stairs, I got an idea. I had a bunch of foam balls from a teambuilding activity I did and we brought the basket filled with them up to her. She LOVED sending one ball down the stairs: “The balls are jumping down the stairs!” We played for a good hour doing the exact same game, occasionally changing it up by sending tons of balls up or down the stairs all at one time. My cousins and I were laughing as much as she was if not more–I have to admit–it was WAY fun!
Later, we sat at my kitchen table and brought out several containers of Playdoh left over from another leadership event (if you’ve heard my Playdoh story, you know). Again she was fascinated every time her mommy made a star or a heart out of the playdoh and was thrilled that she could “wip the Playdoh!”
After a trip to a playground, some more naptime and before an evening of baking cookies, we had another visit to the stairs.
“Please uncle Patwick. May I play on the stairs?”
I have no will power against the sheer cuteness of the two-year-old child. Once again, we had tons of laughter.
When I finally went to sleep that night, I thought about the gift of wonder I had seen. My cousin’s daughter saw the world with a different set of eyes that I had seen. I do love my house, but I don’t see my staircase the way she saw it. To her it was a playground of fun. She found joy in sending a simple ball sliding down the stairwell. She could see an animal at the zoo, and authentically use (in a hushed whisper) the best word to describe it: “wow!” Heading to the grocery store, she’d cheer for “Chocolate Chips!”
I don’t think it’d be possible to be around her for this weekend and not smile or feel joy. Sure, there is definite exhaustion (and my profound respect goes out to all parents out there especially my cousins–all of them–who are doing an incredible job!), but there is a lot of joy mixed in with it.
I realize that I’ve let wonder slip away recently. I’ve do love my job, but I’ve let some of that passion for it hide behind a list of deadlines, bills, marketing plans, etc. I’ve let my house become a mortgage and a serious of tasks (ceiling fans, backyard landscaping, garage organization, etc). My play is something “I’ll get around to…”
Have you done the same thing for your life? Are we letting wonder disappear?
I’m not going to pretend that the world for my cousins’ daughter is perfect. She still had tears this weekend–especially when we had to stop playing on the stairs. Still, she has a joy and an amazement that we all can aspire to experience. Tears could be replaced by being amazed and the next thing available for her to do.
I’ve tried to begin to see that wonder again. Sure my own little two-year-old inside is a bit sad that I just had to say goodbye to my cousins, but now there is a new activity in front of me. In a few minutes, I get to board a plane and fly to Canada! Way fun! Even if I wasn’t on a plane today, the weather is beautiful outside, and it is a great day to play.
I hope you find ways to experience wonder and play this week!