We were at the mall the other day. It's a big mall - wide open spaces and little plastic cars (that used to cost a nickle but now cost a whole dollar) to jostle you back and forth for a minute. But its the wide hallways and 4-story tall mezzanines that make it feel colossal to me. And I imagine to you, as well.
You had been so excited as we traveled over the "huge" bridge over the river, and we talked about which way was left and which way was right. You had made such good choices while Dad perused the big screen TVs and tried to explain pixel counts (or something) to me. You knew that the plastic cars awaited you.
And so I sat on a bench to feed Adelyn and you took your turn at a few of the "rides." Afterwards, you excitedly rushed to me, climbing up on the bench. "Was it fun buddy??!" "Yeah!! Can I have some fishy crackers please?" (How could I resist, what with the random politeness and all.)
So we sat for a minute and then Dad asked you to join him in a store while I continued to sit and feed your sister. Your path took you right past one of those mall-eye-brow-threader-stands. And a woman sat, bent backwards, while another woman used a thin thread to pull tiny hairs out of her eyebrows. Your head turned and you continued to watch as Dad led you away.
I was struck by how funny it was. You, this tiny little guy, watching this super weird thing. And how big and wide open and weird and crazy is this life? You have so much to learn, to see. Everything from eye brow threaders in a mall to god knows what else. Somehow it reminded me of how little we are. How much we learn, and how quickly we learn it. How quickly we forget to see the world as full of interest, and how quickly we can be reminded of it through the eyes of babes.
How lucky I am, amidst the tears and tiredness and growing pains, to be a witness to your learning. How lucky I am to have you as my teacher.
