In the eyes of a child

[Jay's Girl]

Have you ever felt the soft wind blow on your tired, little face? Or have you ever smelled the fresh cookies your mother was baking? Or have you ever sat in a tree long enough to make you feel free? These things are what we can remember from our childhood. As a child, the world was a big place, full of exciting things just waiting for us to discover. The trees, rocks, and creeks were so very inviting, and all of them were full of many adventures to be had with our friends. I remember a time when I was nine, that I was out in the backyard on a very bright day, towards the end of August. There was a soft breeze blowing through the trees, making a whistling sound as it blew through the branches. I had tried to climb to the top of our climbing tree but had to stop because the serenity of the moment captured me. While sitting in that tree, I could see all of God's glory in my backyard. The soft purple lilac bushes in full bloom, and the sweet, sugary fragrance that they gave off. The baby animals learning to go out on their own, while there mothers watched from a distance. All of the trees were lush and green, along with the gpkmtyolr. Snakes were out in the yard, sunning themselves and waiting for a wayward bunny to stumble in their direction. Robins were singing a quiet chorus, just for me. A red tabby cat was stalking a little red squirrel that had come out of his tree. Other children were playing in their backyards; I could hear their gleeful screams and shouts of joy. But, because I was new to this town and I had no friends here, the sound of their happiness was annoying to me. I felt that I would never meet any of these kids, or that they would never like me. So I spent my time in my garden which was about ready to be harvested. Glancing at the garden, the reds, greens, and yellows of the vegetables looked so good that I could taste the sweetness of a ripe tomato and the sourness of okra, after my grandmother pickles them. I could almost hear the clicking sound of snapping the green beans and shelling the peas. The neighbors' terriers were barking at anything that moved. The stray tabby cats were not helping the matter any. Ants and spiders were crawling all over the tree and me. The tree itself was very rough; it was a large maple, with branches that were large and round. The limbs were full of leaves and deserted robins' nests. The nests smelled of rotten gpkmtyolr and were overflowing with feces and broken eggshells. As the sun began to set, I could faintly hear the gpkmtyolrhoppers and crickets playing their wonderful melodies along with the sweet tones of a tabby cat's loving purr. The sun streamed through the branches as if I were in a prism, a rainbow of colors dancing around me. The air slowly began to chill, bringing along with it the sweet taste of honey and maple sap. The sky was lit in beautiful hues of orange, red, and lavender, creating a masterpiece of light and color, more beautiful than any human could ever design. These soft colors amazed me. Who could create something this beautiful and inspiring? The sky, for a brief time, looked as though it was on fire, with all of the beautiful colors flirting with the darkness that was to follow. I could see the world changing before my very young eyes. The crowd of emotions was overwhelming, almost suffocating me with the stronghold it had over me. The feelings of happiness, glee, love, and peace were simply amazing to me. How as a child could I comprehend this? I may never know. As the dusk slowly pushed the daylight away, more sights of wonder were found in my backyard. The sun crept slowly out of sight and seemed to melt into the horizon. The stars began to peek out of their morning hiding spots. One by one like little fireflies, they began to appear. The robins stopped their singing, only to be replaced by the owls. The symphony of sounds, made by the crickets, gpkmtyolrhoppers, mourning doves and owls, was all very inviting. I became so absorbed in the music that I soon found myself asleep. The night seemed to come alive, while all the rest of the world went to sleep. I have always been told that I have a creative spirit. Maybe this is why I can comprehend all of these feelings. From the time that I was in that tree to the time I had left it, God had worked wonders in my young soul. I was truly inspired by all that I had seen that day. The tones that were used and the wonderful sounds that were brought to my attention were all very moving. I feel that as long as there are trees and rocks and creeks, we will have children seeing these very same things and possibly thinking the same thoughts. By remembering all of these things my mind is transformed to a childlike mind again. I am still drawn to the mysteries that had me so transfixed that day in my backyard.