Remember when you bought the expensive toys for the baby? Or the ones that made different noises to keep your child entertained? Then, just when you thought it couldn't get any better, he started playing with the zipper on your coat. Or she was fascinated by the sound the phone made when she pushed the buttons and the operator picked up on the other end. The baby enjoyed the simple things within their grasp.
Jacob is no exception. Cardboard boxes, grass leaves, brooms, and a stick from a tree are the greatest toys in the world to my little red-head. The boxes are castles, the grass leaves are the dragon's fire, the broom is his horse and the limb is the mighty sword. That's right, tonight Jacob was a knight. A brilliant one at that, I would add. He used the tree limb to douse the fire started by the dragon that lay in wait for the handsome prince to rescue the princess. Eventually, he slayed the dragon and saved the beautiful girl. I watched in wonder at what he accomplished when he took the afternoon to play in his fantasy world. But, after the box was stormed, the grass was put out, the broom corralled, and stuffed animal was saved, Jacob finally looked up to see me watching. He put down his "toys" and decided that it was time to do something else.
The innocence in his afternoon showed me again that children have the greatest stories within them. We just have to know what to look for. Maybe next time, I will get to play, too. I hope he'll let me be the princess.
Jacob is no exception. Cardboard boxes, grass leaves, brooms, and a stick from a tree are the greatest toys in the world to my little red-head. The boxes are castles, the grass leaves are the dragon's fire, the broom is his horse and the limb is the mighty sword. That's right, tonight Jacob was a knight. A brilliant one at that, I would add. He used the tree limb to douse the fire started by the dragon that lay in wait for the handsome prince to rescue the princess. Eventually, he slayed the dragon and saved the beautiful girl. I watched in wonder at what he accomplished when he took the afternoon to play in his fantasy world. But, after the box was stormed, the grass was put out, the broom corralled, and stuffed animal was saved, Jacob finally looked up to see me watching. He put down his "toys" and decided that it was time to do something else.
The innocence in his afternoon showed me again that children have the greatest stories within them. We just have to know what to look for. Maybe next time, I will get to play, too. I hope he'll let me be the princess.