he’s in his own little four year old world.  the little guy on the left, i mean.

not hearing us, not responding to us…just doing his own thing because his head is in the middle of something we can’t see.  a thought process, a counting, an imaginative dream cloud.  we feel like we are always getting after him to listen and to pay attention and to be present.

does he even hear us?  i mean does he really listen?

amidst the light of the afternoon and the dust of our lives, he sits with Papa.  legos cover the place we eat, as is par for the course, and they silently build guys.  it’s man time and not much needs to be said.  the mixing of our world and his is smooth, seamless and unspoken.  no instructions or to-do’s.  just play.

and then he stands up in his chair.  illegally and suddenly.

hand on his shoulder, he leans over and whispers into his ear…

“when i grow up?

i want to be

just.

like.

you Papa.”

and he sits back down.  just like that.

his own world collides with ours and hits.  hard.  a long, paused moment with shared smiles and love overflowing.

it’s just a glimpse, a sneak peek of what is going on up there.  but it is pure joy and refreshing and leaves me feeling hopeful.

it makes me want to know that mind.

to sit and allow his world out a little more.

to open up time to do things on his time and with his pace.

to simply sit among the dust and light and get to know that little big mind even more…