Sometimes it's the Little Things

It's the little things in life we forget. Watching N and Z I am reminded constantly of those things we take for granted. Like getting wet in a water fountain, the sweet smell of a flower ( N just picked one up and said pretty- love that he is using English), feeding ducks and the way sand feels on your bare feet..... Walking down the street today N was singing. I am pretty sure it was the theme song to the Flintstones. I love how some things are just universal. Today at the park I got to do some observing behaviors. Z once again, appeared to have started an argument with a group of 3 girls. As soon as the hands went on her hips, I jumped in. Of course she drug her brother in as well.... I felt a time out coming. Soon after they were up and playing, N came back crying. Apparently he wanted to play soccer with a group of boys and was told no. However, a sweet little boy came from the group as if to tell me what REALLY happened. I could tell by his tone they invited him to play but I could not understand the conversation. These are the times I wish so bad I knew the language. It breaks my heart to watch him stand and watch the kids play. He is at a loss at how to interact sometimes. Z however has no trouble at all. She ends up with at least one friend every day. She's been playing with a little girl every day whose mother has one of the little kiosk shops. Lucky for Z she sells cotton candy. Guess we won't be eating lunch soon! At least she came and asked permission to eat it. Sitting at the park provides one a lot of thinking time. I guess in my mind I thought the kids would be so grateful we came for them. I know I read the opposite but still I would be lying if I did not say this was my vision. The reality is when you have nothing you have no idea what being thankful is. You can't be thankful for something until you have had a taste of what life COULD be like. This thought alone is such a HUGE "Aha" in my thinking in general. This my friends is why we see the cycle repeat of children from poverty with little motivation for wanting more and to be better people. They have no idea what that even looks like. Like everything else in life it must be modeled. My thought process has now changed to how can we model what we want to see in our children. If we want them to be thankful we must model with each other small moments of being thankful. Right now all they know is waking up, having someone feed them and clothe them. The basic needs of survival are what they know and nothing else. Sometimes I wonder who is the lucky one. Did I mention yesterday when we were walking we are pretty sure we either passed a man dead on a park bench or extremely drunk. A pigeon landed almost on him and he never flinched. Andy informed me after we passed that he was almost positive he was dead. He then reminded me he does that every day for a living. Peace be with the old fellow either way... Until tomorrow...... E TITE