like a child

I love children.

The sun is shining; the sky is blue. A perfect day to catch up on some yard work. As I’m pulling the annoying weeds, (that try to deceive me into thinking they are cute little flowers by having pretty clover like leaves and yellow blooms, but really send mile long root systems throughout the whole yard), a little boy appears at the front gate.

“Working in the yard?”, he asks as he opens the gate and walks into the yard. “Hmm…I don’t really know this kid”, I think to myself. I do know that he lives two houses down the road, but I’ve never really talked to him.

“So, what’s your name?” “What grade are you in?” “What school do you go to?” “Isn’t this a beautiful day to play outside?”

“Justin.” “First grade, but this is my second time. I got held back.” Penn Valley School.” “I’m not playing, but it’s the weekend, so I don’t have school”

As Justin and I continue with the kiddie small talk, a young girl of about 9 or 10 walks through the gate. In her arms, she is holding an adorable little girl who is almost 2 years old. The 10 year old, Heather, is Justin’s sister, and she is in charge of Hayley, the next door neighbor.

I soon discover that Heather is even more of a talker than her brother, Justin.

“This is Hayley, Warren and Jennifer’s daughter, and they are going to have another baby in May, one day before or after Hayley’s birthday, but they don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. When they went to the doctor for the c-section last week, they couldn’t tell from the pictures, because the baby wouldn’t open it’s legs, but they think it’s a boy. Hayley likes to see different things at your house like the hummingbird feeder because her dad has lots of stuff in the garage, but mostly just motors, because he’s a transmission man; that what he does. The reason you don’t have any hummingbirds at your feeder is because the man up the street has like five hummingbird feeders and they all go there to eat. See my new shoes. I got them at Payless, with Sponge Bob shoelaces. The shoelaces were only $2.99, which is $3.00, so that is a good deal. My brother got new shoes, too.

She relayed all this information to me in what seemed like one breath.

I spent the next hour hanging out with my new friends, swinging on the porch swing, picking lemons and flowers, exploring my backyard, and learning lots of new stuff about my neighbors. If I ever want the neighborhood gossip, I know who to ask. And I know who not to tell my secrets to.

But they reminded me of what I love about children. I love that they just walked into the yard of someone they don’t even know. I love that they make friends so easily. I love that they find wonder in the little things, like picking lemons and Sponge-Bob shoelaces.

I want to be more like a child.