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I have a tiny dreamer on my hands…
A petite five-year-old dreamer. With BIG plans. Huge plans. We talk. A lot. Especially on the way home each evening. There she sits, maybe 7 feet behind me, babbling away with her “good ideas”. And I love them. She’s one of those kiddos. The one whose brain gets ahead of her mouth. Whose thoughts spin around faster than her little mind can process them. And with each word that escapes her lips, her excitement intensifies.
Our little idealist lOvEs to help others. She and I have had countless conversations about other children in our world. About how some do not have homes. Or the latest sparkling-princess-toy. About how many children don’t have snacks and food, like the ever-delicious goodness of steamy mac-n-cheese, to eat whenever they so desire. Or may not even have a winter coat and gloves to keep them warm…especially as our weather this week hit bitter-cold temperatures, shattering records that have been held for over 30 years.
As we traveled home last Tuesday night, all three tiny tots bundled up in their car seats with new winter coats, gloves and hats, Miss O began chattering away, while looking at her school’s book fair order forms. She began rambling off about wanting this princess book and that Peppa Pig book, without ever stopping to take a breath.
So, I stopped her instead. I told her that she and Monkey would be able to pick out 1-2 books each. (Insert the whining and “Buuuuuut, that’s not fairrrrrr!”) And then I quickly reminded her of our weather. And how cold it was outside. I brought her back to some of the pictures she had seen on the news the other night about little babies, their mommies and brothers and sisters who were staying in shelters in our area. And about how there are hundreds of little boys and girls that night who didn’t even have a place to call “home”, let alone new books. And that we need to remember how lucky we are to be able to receive some of those extra toys and treats.
And suddenly, after a moment of silence, her wheels started spinning. Full speed ahead…
“I have a good (geeewd) idea! What if we take some of our old books and give them to the boys and girls without homes? Then, they could have something too.”
“That is good idea, babe!”
“Orrr, Mommy, we could take lots of books. They could keep them. Like, we could make them a library. You know, where they check out the books. Then they could share them all.”
Words cannot express how completely gracious my heart was feeling. I can only imagine the width of my smile. And before I knew it, I found myself rambling on in return. And together, separated by mere feet, unable to actually talk face-to-face, we conjured up a grand plan. Of creating a library, or perhaps a craft center, for a local homeless shelter. I have no idea how our scheme will play out. I have all the contact information needed and plan to get a hold of someone to inquire as to whether anything similar is already in place, or if any of this would ever even be a possibility.
Bu the fact, that at five-years-old, still a toddler herself, our sweet girl could flip a switch from her feelings of being upset to so immediately even think enough about others in such a big way melts my heart. And for her precious, genuine mind, full of benevolence, ready to share with the world in super-huge ways, I am beyond grateful.
This post is part of ember grey’s Grateful Heart Mondays.