Let's be Friends

Yesterday, after Geoff and the kids picked me up from work, we decided to stop and let the kids play in the park.  There is a great play area at our local Y, and since Sawyer wouldn't stop crying until we went, the decision was a pretty easy one.

Sawyer right away, waded her way into the fray and started climbing and riding and scrambling and falling.  Sebastian takes longer.  We rested at a table, then on a bench.  We walked for a bit, talked for a bit, and he started climbing with the littles.  I could see the looks on the faces of the other families.  They were worried that a bigger kid was in with the little, little ones,  but no one said anything and after a while, when they saw that he was just willing to sit and swing his feet, they stopped noticing. 

After a while, both kids moved onto the bigger playset.  Sawyer was climbing the rocks like the monkey she is, up and down and up and down.  She gives me all the experiences that I was a bit nostalgic about with Sebastian, and I am so grateful to her for that.  Last night it was the "Look at me, Mom!  Are you looking?  Did you see me??"  I was so happy to report that every single time, I did see her and I was looking.  Sebastian also started to climb, and each time he reached the top, I would literally clap my hands and cheer for him.  He would give me is little nonchalant wave, but the smile on his face told a whole different story.  He was happy that I was cheering.  He was proud of himself. 

After a while, my little Sawyer Bean started to make friends.  First she started seeing the same little girl in the places that she was playing, and then she started following her.  Next came talking, then holding hands and running together.  Pretty soon, they were "friends".  Emma had to leave shortly after, and Sawyer was alone again.

But not for long.  Next came Alicia, who was a little too young for her, and then Marianna.  At one point I hear Marianna ask Sawyer "Ok, so we are friends now, right?"  Sawyer of course said yes.

It just made me think about how easy and simple it is to be friends when you are little.  Just ask "Wanna be friends?"  If they say yes, then you are.  When they do something you don't like, you are allowed to be mad and not be friends.  And then because they gave you candy, or a flower or a plastic ring, you are friends again.  Simple.  Lovely.

I wish it were that easy once you get older.  I have friends, and I make friends fairly easily.  But still, sometimes it could just be a simple as holding hands in the park. 

Rosie N. Grey
The N stands for "new friends".