Alecia

A few years back I took a test on the internet.  It showed several lip stain marks on a piece of tissue paper.  The reader was supposed to mark their own lips on a piece of tissue and then compare it to the samples.  By doing this your lips supposedly show characteristics of the type of person you are.
Upon taking this test my lips told two things about me.
1.  Animals like me.
2.  Children like me.
Well it's something. O.K.  It's a huge something because who better than to like you then animals and children.  It really can't get any better, right?

One example happened yesterday in Mrs. Wood's first grade class.  Upon seeing me arrive for my weekly reading session one of the little girls got really excited.  She smiled widely and waved to me.

I was surprised when she was second on the list to come out and read with me.  She was full of things to ask me and to tell me.  Here is part of our conversation:

Alecia: " Do you have a lot of snacks at your house?"
Me:  "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do have lots of snacks at my house."
Alecia: Smiling and tapping her legs up and down. " Oh ,I wish I could come to your house."
Me: "Lots of kids in my neighborhood stop by to get after school snacks."  Candy, cookies, popscicles. Fridays we usually pop up some popcorn."
Me:  Did Marley tell you I have lots of snacks at my house?
Alecia:  No, matter of fact, she didn't.
Me:  Hmmmmm either she doesn't have snacks at her house or snacks are a very important part of a six (I mean seven year olds) life.  Because she did inform me she is seven now.  Maybe it's just expected,if you are grandma status, which I certainly am.  In any case it doesn't really matter.  What
matters is that she trusts me and likes me enough to ask.

Whether a lip stain test is accurate or not it has given me something to think about whenever a child talks to me or an animal crosses my path.  I try to stop and be a little kinder and smile a little wider.  Because you never know when you might make a new friend.

Davin

Have you ever noticed that when you see the world through the eyes of a child that everything seems a little brighter?

The last few days I have had experiences like this as a special boy named Davin has shown up on my front doorstep.

Yesterday he and I were talking like we were old friends.  We have a common friend in a guy named Benji. Benji isn't here on earth anymore but his memory still lives on.

Davin and I have never spoken of him before yesterday. Davin told me what he remembered about the day Benji died. He told me that he had been playing with his toy police cars.  His mom was in the other room and she started hearing sirens.  At first she thought she was hearing Davin playing.  The noises were so loud that she realized the sirens were very real and very close.  She looked out the window and she saw police cars and ambulances.

Benji owned a dog named Autumn.  Autumn was frightened and agitated.  Davin's mom Sara ran over and took Autumn into her care. She took him into her home to belong to her family.

Even though Benji didn't make it that day, part of who he is lives on in his dog Autumn.  Whenever I have been to see Sara; I am also greeted by Autumn. I cannot see Autumn without remembering my friend Benji. 

The other day I was out for a walk and I saw Autumn running around in the backyard of her new home.  It made me smile.

Thank goodness the world has people like Sara and her family.  A dog named Autumn and a guy named Benji sure think so.  So do I.