There are extremely few opportunities in life that one can look back upon, point to, and say to themselves (and others if you are the name dropping type), "I was there at that moment when the magic happened. I was there at the inception of something special. Something life altering, man!"
For example, imagine being there when a young Kurt Kobain picked up his first electric guitar. When Neil Armstrong first gazed up at the Moon on a clear Summer evening. When Picasso first slapped paint onto a canvas. Or when a young Stephen King first spied his first big greasy spider. Special moments indeed.
Even if you could have experienced these events with only one small degree of separation, shortly after they took place, you might consider yourself extremely lucky. The stories you could tell the Grandkids would be priceless.
Well readers, it just so happens that I can offer you just such an opportunity right here in this very post. A rare chance, free of charge, to experience second hand the birth of what could become one of America's next great storytellers:
"Mommy."
"Yes, Lukas?"
"I saw elephants in that house!"
"Elephants - in that house?"
"Yeah. They were dancing."
"Dancing elephants?"
"Yeah. And, they were wearing clothes!"
"Really? What color were the elephants?"
"Purple. I saw them last week."
"That's amazing, Lukas. You saw dancing purple elephants in that house last week, and they were wearing clothes!"
"Yeah! I made that up!!"
You see, purple Dinosaurs are pictured under Lame in the dictionary. But dancing purple clothed elephants? You don't get any cooler than that! You can't teach that kind of creativity to a 2 year old. It simply takes you by surprise once or twice every generation.
For example, imagine being there when a young Kurt Kobain picked up his first electric guitar. When Neil Armstrong first gazed up at the Moon on a clear Summer evening. When Picasso first slapped paint onto a canvas. Or when a young Stephen King first spied his first big greasy spider. Special moments indeed.
Even if you could have experienced these events with only one small degree of separation, shortly after they took place, you might consider yourself extremely lucky. The stories you could tell the Grandkids would be priceless.
Well readers, it just so happens that I can offer you just such an opportunity right here in this very post. A rare chance, free of charge, to experience second hand the birth of what could become one of America's next great storytellers:
"Mommy."
"Yes, Lukas?"
"I saw elephants in that house!"
"Elephants - in that house?"
"Yeah. They were dancing."
"Dancing elephants?"
"Yeah. And, they were wearing clothes!"
"Really? What color were the elephants?"
"Purple. I saw them last week."
"That's amazing, Lukas. You saw dancing purple elephants in that house last week, and they were wearing clothes!"
"Yeah! I made that up!!"
You see, purple Dinosaurs are pictured under Lame in the dictionary. But dancing purple clothed elephants? You don't get any cooler than that! You can't teach that kind of creativity to a 2 year old. It simply takes you by surprise once or twice every generation.
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Soak it in readers. Turn off all outside noise-television, radio - and just let this moment in time ooze on down to your core. Feels good, doesn't it?
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Just don't forget to also mention Seattledad to your Grandkids when telling them you were one of the first to read one of Lukas' stories.
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12 comments:
That is so funny, what a great mind he has!
Do you live on Mulberry Street?
I saw clothed purple elephants dancing once, but that was because the shrooms had gone moldy.
I love creative kids and their "visions!".
One of the greatest things about blogging - you'll be able to look back and remember that moment.
Also, imaginative kids are apparently the most intelligent, so encourage the stories..!
Did he sneak out to a Phish show without you knowing?
It's nice that as a kid you can have that vivid type imagination withoug being accused of using drugs.
Cool story. Put me down for his first signed hardback please.
Genius, pure and simple.
Looks like you've got a real money maker on your hands...
Thanks for sharing the Mark Twain moment.
When our older son was in preschool, they did a project that featured a booklet of photos and sentences (with lots of help from the teachers) of something special that happened over the summer. The little guy's work was a story of a day trip that we did to Gettysburg--it was a funny to see his favorite parts of the trip and a great moment to share.
I will not only remember the date, but where I was when I read it.
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