Friday, February 08, 2008

Little boy's playground

Energy meets sand
Deerfield Beach, Florida
December 2007

[Click to embiggen]


At my age, I'm too old to even think of trying to keep up with our youngest son, Noah. He's seven years-old and I'm...not. Yet as I stand well behind him and watch him run back and forth along the beach, I remember what it felt to be his age, running around with not a care in the world.

As a child, all that mattered to me were moments like this. Did I catch the frisbee? Did I build a decent sand castle? Did I run myself so hard until I felt dizzy and had to sit down? Was my tummy delightfully full? I left the big stuff, like getting everyone home safely, paying bills and keeping the car tuned, to my parents. The world could wait.

Today, my parents' mantle of responsibility has passed to me. And my long-forgotten mantle of just being a carefree kid has passed to him. He's making great use of it, and that makes me smile a little smile as I trip the shutter and continue to take in the scene.

Your turn: Your inner child. Please discuss.

17 comments:

Shephard said...

Very nice photo. It says a lot, esp. about you as a Dad. My family have not one candid photo of anyone. Just sporadic photos preserved by accident. I often wonder how strange it must feel to take having hundreds of photos of yourself as a kid, and to take that for granted. Interesting.

Great second post. :)
Michele sent me back.
~S

kenju said...

Aside: Shephard, my third child can tell you how it feels to have NO photos of yourself (or so she says).

Carmi, you just amaze me as a parent. Your kids are so lucky to have you.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

A super child's picture that says so much.

Michele sent me.

Linda said...

my inner child has too many issues, repressed....but I love the picture, nonetheless!

Nestor Family said...

I am not sure my last comment went through... so here it is again (near as I can remember).

I think you put it well when you said that your son now gets to carry on in the place where it's his turn to be carefree as a child. It is a BLAST to observe them take everyting in and do things as a child.

Awesome photo... incredible observations, as usual, Carmi! Love it.

Nestor Family said...

Here was my original comment, Carmi... post what you want, of course. I respect that.

I think you put it well when you said that your son now gets to have the place where he is carefree and just able to be a child. And it is a BLAST to watch them and observe them take things in and do with them what they will as a child.

Awesome photo... incredible observations, as usual, Carmi. Love it.

Deana said...

I think people would say I might tend to have too much inner child still. I love that picture...I wish it would be warm weather again! Winter is getting old.

craziequeen said...

http://craziequeen.blogspot.com/2005/12/crazie-christmas-advent-calendar-5.html

Here's my Inner Child - she's saying all kinds of weird stuff..

Michele sent me to tell you that 'Listening to one's inner child can be so liberating.'

My inner child reminds me of cricket in the orchard, cycling downhill like the wind, watching bugs do whatever bugs do, jumping off the top board at the pool all those magical things.

Oh, and honey - I love that carefree photo of Noah... :-))

cq

Catherine said...

My inner child was always rather serious. I used to like making things a lot, and I loved climbing trees. I wonder if I could still manage that :)
Here from Michele's

Anonymous said...

What an excellent picture, you've really captured that child like attitude of joy.
As for myself, I have a GI Joe collection habit I would hesitate to disclose anything further than that.

Anonymous said...

Oh to be that carefree again Carmi!

sage said...

he looks like he's having fun! glad you encouage him

Shannon said...

Beautiful photo, as always. Inner child? Don't remember. I was always in a hurry to grow up. Too bad someone didn't clue me in that it's much better to be a kid!

Omykiss said...

When our kids fell asleep in the back seat of the car on the way home ... late .. and we had to carry them up to bed .. I always thought how nice it is to be a child ... it's the growing up that's painful .. but sadly unavoidable.

JAM said...

Beautiful photo, words, and sentiment.

I think of these things often. Though my daughters are now 19 and 22 and they're starting to shoulder responsibilities themselves, I still look back and try to remember and even relive for a few moments the carefree days of childhood.

Thanks for the reminder. I had a Leave it to Beaver Childhood, and I as an adult I thanked my parents for their incredible self-sacrifices for me and my siblings. I was and still am, blessed.

Lindy said...

Made me smile too, and I needed a smile today. This was a delight to read, Carmi. There is hope in a photo like that - the sort of childhood I would wish to gift to every child. You and your wife are doing such a lovely job... and raising some extraordinary kiddos. Great work!

Jason Roth said...

Sun, sand and a pair of shorts in December. I coming to visit.