Jack's eyes widened as rained thumped on the van's roof. We sat in the parking lot at KinderCare, the lone car in the darkened lot. The rain beckoned to us, inviting us to come out and play. However, I was in no hurry to get soaked.
"Come on up here, Jack-Jack. We'll go out together." I reached back and unbuckled his seat belts. Smiling like Christmas morning, Jack slid down from the car seat and climbed into the front seat, landing on my lap with a soft thump. He looked up expectantly, still thrilled at the darkness, the rain, and the proximity of the steering wheel.
"We going inside?" he asked, his voice clear and sweet.
The drumming rain hummed like a lullaby. I hugged Jack with one arm, squeezing his little knees into his chest while he giggled. He leaned his blond head onto my shoulder and there we sat for a moment longer, time standing still.
Then the moment passed. "Yes, we're going inside," I said, sweeping him up in a warm bundle. We opened the door and stepped into the storm, Jack's laughter competing with the sound of splashes.
Reading this brought back so many memories of my own kids when they were small. The innocence of seeing everything in life as an adventure and something "fun" is what makes their world so magical. As adults, how wonderful would it be if we could revert back to those days more often and truly enjoy the simple things in life; those things that really, when you think about it, are truly magical afterall.
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