And You Think It's Just A Birdbath

Putting little fingers in a birdbath may sound simple yet to a child looking at and feeling the water trickling down her fingers it opens her curious mind to imaginative possibilities and unending questions.

Just what is this stuff? Why does it move down my things called fingers and fall to the ground-and then where does whatever it is go? Why does this stuff feel like it does and why can't I hold it like I do my favorite blanket or mommy's hand? Why does this stuff move around like it does when I put my fingers in it and why does it go all over the place-including me-when I move my fingers faster and then put one hand in it and then the other hand and move them faster and faster-in a circle and then up and down-even faster-so fast that I can hardly breath because the stuff gets in my eyes and I can't see and that stuff on my head called hair is wet as are my clothes and I feel chilly as the summer breeze passes me by. Yet whenever I am able to catch my breath I laugh and giggle-still with my eyes shut and still with my fingers and hands going so fast that surely I will fly way up high like those pretty things with wings dancing around that place I hear called a garden. And just when there isn't much stuff left to splash in and the breeze makes me a bit chillier but I can't stop what I am doing, I feel someone picking me up and hugging me, wrapping me up in something that smells like those things Mommy calls flowers that are all colors and grow in that garden.

Hmmm-maybe when I get back outside I will go check out those flowers that are all colors growing in the garden. I will play in that box full of sand stuff and fill my trucks and pails with it and make piles and knock them over and make castles and live in them-fighting off monsters until my blue swing hanging from the thing called a tree branch catches my eye. Then Mommy will strap me inside it and I will soar way up high-laughing every time my head brushes those green things hanging from the branch.

And to think-we adults think it's just a birdbath-just water-just fingers-just hair-just butterflies-just a garden-just a towel-just flowers-just a sandbox-just a tree branch-just leaves.

Take the time to find the Wonder around you. It's still there-just ask a child!

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