old soul in a tiny man

A nine-inch toy dinosaur stands guard beside our front door. Were it 65 million years older, it would be roaming some ancient plain long forgotten at the bottom of a sea, its long neck reaching the tallest branches in search of luscious greenery. Lillian reminds us that the toy dinosaur is an 'herbivore' but today, the 'thunder-lizzard' spent most of the day in the tiny hand of a three year old boy.

Sitting at the computer to type this memoir, memories of the day are so sweet they nearly force the suspension of time. Thoughts turn inward in efforts to squeeze every drop of joy from each moment. Memories of:

-A curly headed boy with his two curly headed sisters singing 'Happy Birthday' to him.

-A neon green dinosaur cake Arin stayed up until midnight the night before making for him. All Liam wanted to do was sit and stare at the cake!

-Liam greeting his YaYa, Roo, Grant, and JJ at the door so excited to share his Birthday.

-A tiny boy so excited to have people he loved around him he forgot about cake and gifts.

-Opening each gift and thinking each was the greatest thing ever.

-With a smile, waiting patiently until we stopped singing so he could blow out the candles on his cake.

-Teaching my son to play t-ball.

-watching my daughter hit the ball.

-Watching a movie as a family.

-Playing in the pool together.

-etc.

My favorite moments are at the end of the day, once the chaos has subsided and the good-night songs have been sung. The quiet allows the significance of moments from the day to be colored with the richness they deserve. The brain races and the heart overflows with thoughts of bright eyes, kisses, and tiny hands clutching toy dinosaurs. Nostalgia screams of grasping tight to moments like this. Wisdom knows better. Love and life must be savored. They cannot be possessed.

Liam is a little man, distinct in ferocity and wildness from his sisters, yet similar in demonstration of tenderness. He is a leader and passionate in feeling. Look into his dark eyes, framed by his dark curls and you will see the reason for the richness of the life I lead. Yesterday, Liam turned 'free' as he tells everyone. We who witnessed the occasion, including the dinosaurs, felt we were observing something fleeting yet significant, common yet rich. He had all of us in the small, dinosaur toting palm of his.