There is something entrancing about toddlers.
Yesterday afternoon our youngest granddaughter, MsX, came to visit.
She is 18 months old and learning several new words everyday. This is amazing to me, as her father - the family member who declines to be named - didn’t begin to speak until he was two. Once he was five he was pontificating like his father.
But it’s not just MsX’s rapid language acquisition that’s bewitching, it’s her focused interest and delight and concentration while playing. And playing with her is to escape from the world out there at the same time as digging deep into the present, the immediate. You really do live in the moment with toddlers and it’s so refreshing. I love spending time with all our grandchildren but it’s been ten years since we’ve had such a little one in the family, and it’s such a treat in these dark dark times - times when “civilised” countries can aid and abet a genocide.
MsX was on holiday at Easter and went for her first solo paddle, and I liked the photo her parents took of her so much that I painted it.
Meanwhile in Gaza, children are traumatised, injured, orphaned and starving.
Please don’t forget them.
You can donate to the UNICEF Gaza appeal here:
3 comments:
You are so right! Just love toddlers! One of my great pleasures on the beach is to watch the toddlers figure out, the sand and the water, makes one notice all the magic again!
Miss X is a darling! What a great photo of you and Dave taking her for a walk! And you are wearing the excellent red jacket!! Definitely made the right choice there. Congratulations too on transforming a family photo into a work of art. This will be an heirloom! Fascinating isn’t it the language journey these little ones take? Our second son was a voluble but not easily understood talker till nearly three and the overnight he spoke in beautiful sentences about his feelings!! And still is at nearly at nearly 50
Ana
I’m glad you understand, Marmee and Ana.
I need to explain that the stance of MsX looks odd, but she had just been flicking water and this was exactly what she looked like.
Post a Comment