Little magic...

She stood at the base of the staircase looking intently at the newel post. I was watching her as I cleared the table and got Appu to sit down to study. Getting curious as to why she was staring so hard, I asked her the reason for the sudden interest in the post. This is what Mahi had to say:

“Amma, imagine for a moment that there are four columns on this square (just below the ball that surmounted the post). Each column has a different coloured button. If I press the red one the staircase will change to an escalator. If I press the blue one, it becomes an awesome slide. If I press the green one, it becomes a roller-coaster. To get it back to a regular staircase I can press the last yellow one. Can you make it like that for me?”

I smiled at her and said that I couldn’t do that for her but that I was sure she’d find a way to do it someday. She went off to play and I sat down to work still amused at her imagination. Isn’t it wonderful how unfettered flows the creativity of a child? Nothing is impossible – nothing is too fantastic. As an adult I see only limitations when I face a problem. I am filled with self doubts about my ability to tackle it. I see all the ways various solutions wouldn’t work. The four walls of my box always appear to close in on me.

But children are so different. They look at the world with light in their eyes. Joy is their innate nature. Every little thing is viewed so differently. Little hurts cause big pain. Little joys bring forth great happiness. And their love is the unconditional type – I am always the best mom in the world to my kids – at least for now, when they are yet young. They live life with all their heart – children can never hold back. Have you heard their laughter? Its so very unlike an adult’s self-conscious version. My son still has his infectious belly laugh from when he was very little. I hear it and know that his innocence is still untouched and I can’t help but smile.

That night we walked out and enjoyed watching the sky. Mahi was chattering on about all sorts of things when she suddenly asked me if I noticed the huge star she had drawn with coloured chalk on the tiles in front of the house. I said yes I did for it was a very beautiful star. I asked her why it had to be so big. She looked up at the sky and pointed out the moon “You know the moon over there? She was looking very lonely so I thought I’d draw her a friend. Moons like stars, don’t they Amma? Do you think she can see this one?” I assured her that she definitely couldn’t miss seeing the special star. She was comforted with the thought that in her little universe no one was now friendless.

How many years has it been since I have missed seeing the magic unfolding around me? Little birds’ eggs don’t make my eyes widen in wonder. A particularly ugly caterpillar invokes only disgust and not curiosity. Clouds have ceased to look like elephants and dinosaurs. But when my kids point it all out, I get a glimpse of what I felt as a child myself. For a while I can close my eyes and feel that magic once again....