How many realities are lost to our growing certainties as we get older? How many laughs do we forsake. It’s easy to miss the energy of youth, but more than energy, I miss the ability to live within the happy moments of my imagination behind a rainbow’s shield.
I find myself pondering this as I think back on the joyous, very white snowy St. Patrick’s Day this past Monday. O was convinced this was the year he would trap the tricky little leprechaun. It was this seven year old’s get rich quick scheme. Just think of all the toys which could be bought with a pot of gold to spend!
So with a little help from mom and dad (mostly mom), he built his trap, the Leprechaun Hotel. He baited it with fake gold coins and marsh mellows from Lucky Charms cereal. He wrote on the trap, “Leprechauns Welcome.” Then he went to bed knowing that staying awake might scare off the leprechaun.
When he woke, he found the fake gold coins remained. He obviously knew what real ones looked and felt like. The trap had been sliced open, and the marsh mellows taken. Obviously, he had a sweet tooth. Both O and his sister, A, laughed long and loud when they discovered the leprechauns had turned the toilet water green. So when they found out the milk was now green too, they made sure nobody was left sleeping because the hysterical laughter was contagious.
The best part as a parent was watching them go around the house noticing “all the other things the leprechaun had done.” In their minds, the leprechaun had gone on a rampage of random bumping things down to the ground in the night. You would almost think the leprechaun as clumsy as I am. Hmmmm
As much fun as I had watching their imagination go, the highlight of my day came later when they helped shovel the sidewalk to their school for 2 hours without complaint. As a parent, these are the rare moments when I think we just might be getting things mostly right.
