Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Sound Of Children

We live across the street from an elementary school. I chose this house because of its proximity to the ocean shore (10 blocks) and the assured scheme that I would hear children laughing, screaming, and playing from dusk till dawn. I love the sound of children. The cacophony of the sounds of their interactions always brings joy to my heart. Plus the playground is a huge grassy “backyard” for my dogs to romp around every day. I sit mid morning and listen for the bell to ring. The children charge with delight out of their rooms and then the orchestra of fighting, playing, laughing, running and earsplitting joy that is children at play. I love every decibel . Besides the sounds of the waves on the shore, I’m sure there is no better sound.

When my children were little, I took them to the park every day. In the midst of motherhood/exhaustion/fear, I always felt I should be somewhere else. I should have been working or making them read the classics, or learning to play an instrument. I thought the park was a waste of time. I loathed chasing them thru the jungle gym and pushing them HIGHER on the swings. Now that they are grown, it is my one wish. That someone would ask me to the park, to run and tag them, to do an “under-doggie.”

I also miss bedtime stories. After I had read a book at thousand times, I would make up my own stories, staring my children as the brave prince or the damsel in distress. Every night they were different and ongoing. They loved it; I thought it a waste of time. Now I miss every second and long to have my husband take out his earplugs and beg me for a story.

I guess that is what Grand kids are all about. You finally slow down enough to witness joy.

2 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed reading about what you miss now the children are grown up.

    Those bedtime stories were very special. I too am now a grandma, and I think I enjoyed the books as much as the children did.
    But - we do not have to stop reading them, we do after all have grandchildren now, and we can read to them.

    I have recently had a book of ten children's stories published. Makes great bedtime reading, and the kids want to go to bed to hear the next story in the series.
    Maybe you could consider it for your grandchildren.
    Irene J Harvey
    William the Fairground Car
    http://eloquentbooks.com/WilliamtheFairgroundCar.html

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