29 Months

Some mornings Lucas will wake up before us (well...actually make that many mornings) and Xtina and I will wallow in our warmth for an hour or two listening closely to the sounds of our dear boy, hoping that the imminent crash isn't one that brings horrible peril into our lives. A couple of weeks ago he climbed out of bed and stomped off to do who knows what. After about fifteen minutes with a head clouded with morning and a full bladder screaming pain I followed his lead. Once I was relieved I noticed that I couldn't hear the little guy at all, the house spoke only silence. Now this often means that Lucas is usually up to something nefarious like climbing various furniture to get at something beyond his little reach. So I began to lurk around the house in order to discover his evil plot and catch him in the act. But instead I found him calmly sitting at his desk reading one of his books. It was a special sight. He was so engrossed in the story that he was completely clueless to his dad secretly keeping an eye on him.

I really enjoy watching these solitary moments. His thoughtful expressions and musings are a joy to behold. Inside each and every one of us is this small island where we go to communicate simply with ourselves. I've always cherished that beautiful place within myself. It is the creative heart of our imagination. It's a place where I always hoped to encourage my children toward discovery. So I'm completely amazed when I see Lucas submerging himself below the surface of reality and immersing himself in this world of magic. He's only two and he's already discovered it.

I don't know if this is a natural process of the developing mind. Does every child know how to find it? Perhaps it's place where imaginary friends are born? It makes sense to me. We begin at this very primal space that has very little influence, maybe a genetic tendency here or there, but our minds are simply open to unlimited possibilities. Then the world begins to descend upon us as we grow and develop at an incredible rate. As we learn it becomes amusingly easy to fill in all the unknown blanks with fantastical ideas and crazy thoughts. It is such a treasure to let the imagination run loose, free from shackles.

But, as we continue to grow, we begin to put limits on all our wonderful ideas. No, there's not really a Santa Claus. You're to old to play with dolls. You can't daydream all of the time. You don't want to grow up to be a starving artist right? Slackers! Most often the discouragement comes from without. I can't imagine we would offer to give up such a wonderful world of our own free will. Yet, we continue to seek it out in music or movies or television or stage performances or even art. But we've become passive, seeking it out as spectators when all we're really trying to find is that active place that once consumed us when we were children.

I've discovered that when I embrace this world of creativity and then approach my daily life using it as my guidepost then the world we inhabit opens up gloriously before my eyes. The relationship with my wife becomes more tender and caring. The atmosphere at work becomes one of ingenuity and efficiency. The conversations that I have with my friends and family are heartfelt and sincere. The world before me fills with limitless possibility. When we bring creativity to our environment we expand our collective consciousness. We grow beyond what we are. It's a beautiful experience.

Plus, I get to share special moments with my child that no corporate dazzle can dispell.