We were reading a book about Herbie the Hedgehog.
It was late, the children should have been tucked in and snoozing by that hour, but the evening had run long and our reading had too.
This particular library book aimed at the age of my youngest, so he stood next to me, close and concentrated, as I flipped the pages.
The story explains how Herbie, this tiny, poky, young hedgehog goes on his first big adventure alone….
“Before he knew it, he was swept up by a whirling westerly wind. Whooooooosh!”
As my littlest looked at the illustrations and saw that Herbie was riding on the wings of a small brown leaf, he smiled wide and said, “I wish I could do that!”.
His delight was pure and honest, a squeal almost.
I wrapped my arm around his small waist, and pulled him into me, and kissed his soft face all over, and told him that I loved this about him.
He’s my wild one.
He’s brave, and he takes hold of things, and he experiences life with all of himself. He feels deeply, and expresses loudly, and has a passionate energy that wears me out sometimes.
But he has this spirit that wants to fly.
And I once did too.
He makes me want it back again.
I remember myself back in third grade…awkward with glasses, terrible at math but keen on words, Mrs. Bailey had given us a writing assignment. I wanted to use the word ‘soar’. I wasn’t sure how it was spelled, so I walked to her desk and asked her. She said, “You really like that word don’t you?” And she pointed out how I had used that word several times before in class. I nodded at the truth of it.
And still do.
Raising little boys brings things back to us.
Bravery, heroism, freedom, wild adventure.
Kids have a way of showing us that the world truly is a wonder, and that taking it all in should make us glide high and free.
I’m sitting out back where a cool breeze is blowing through our tall pines. It’s rustling up all the needles, and it’s making me want to hop on the waves of the wind just to see where they’ll take me….
You were adorable in 3rd grade!! And Barbara Bailey was and still is the best!! You were Blessed to have her!!