Awe & Wonder

Thank you to Holly for inviting us to reflect on our own spiritual journey! Please stop by and join us at her blog.

Today Holly invites us to write about wonder and awe...what a perfect week for that! I spent the past four days with my four-year-old niece and five-year-old nephew. Seeing the world through the eyes of a young child...you can't help but feel awe and wonder. Here are a few examples I witnessed this week...

1. Creating. I'm in awe of the risks kids take when they paint and draw. I never hear my niece or nephew insult their own art or make excuses like, "I can't draw." Why do adults do that? Why do I do that? Watching them freely and joyfully paint and create art inspires me!

2. Playing. We spent lots of time playing outside. We ran around my mom's backyard. Jack gathered up hay and made piles of it. Jillian blew bubbles. They both proudly demonstrated their writing skills and wrote our names in sidewalk chalk. Again, I looked at that backyard differently after those moments...so much playing to get done!

3. Love. I brought Bella with me this trip. Jack had already met her when he visited me, but Jillian was enthralled. She watched everything she did. Bella likes to jump and Jillian giggled every time Bella jumped on her. She followed her, gave her treats, pet her...it was so sweet. What a true demonstration of love!! Jillian loves Bella and Bella loves Jillian. 

4. Santa. We went out for pizza one night. Jack wasn't feeling well, so he sat in my lap before we ate. My sister snapped a picture of us and texted it to me. I showed him and he gasped. He said, "Auntie Chelle, is that SANTA?!?!" 

I smiled and said, "It could be. He could be on vacation with his family." News of Santa quickly reached his little sister Jillian. She really wanted to know, so my uncle Dave brought her over. Yes indeed, he told us he was Santa! Oh the wonder!!!!