Some Things Don't Change
As a toddler, he loved puddles and mud. I learned to prepare for it, always packing at least one extra set of clothes for him, everywhere we went. He fully embraced the feel and taste of mud and dirt and this connection to the earth lasted well into his teens. I had to get used to the sight of him putting dirt in his mouth and not worry that it would make him sick. He kept a cup full of dirt from the mound of a game he pitched in his room for several years. I was convinced he would someday develop a taste for deeply-earthy red wines, but that is yet to happen.
Noticing these things our children love, that form a theme in their lives can lead to some very happy moments of recognition like this did. He may be all grown up but there is still the joy of that little boy somewhere in there.
