The bus this year for me has become the space for “me time.” I read, indulge in pod-casts, peer outside or simply people watch, and admittedly eavesdrop. I have been witness to countless roasted pigs, woman trudging 5 gallon pails on their backs, but out of all the things I have seen on my rides the children playing outside stand out. The simplicity of them playing with what surrounds them and the use of their grand imaginations fills me up. I have an ongoing fascination with the minds of children, particularly when playing make-believe.
It is make believe, so obviously it can be adjusted or alteredÛ_wrong!As a seasoned babysitter there are concrete rules to this world kids create within their minds. There is such beauty in the way children think, managing to mix open-mindedness yet maintain the ability to see the world through their eyes.
As I sat on the bus the other day, probably for one of the last times, I had a classic song from the beloved Christmas special Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” running though my head and bringing me back to my own childhood: “”Put one foot in front of the other. And soon you’ll be walking Û÷cross the floor. Put one foot in front of the other and soon you’ll be walking out the door. You never will get where you’re going. If you never get up on your feet.”” As those words rang through my head on repeat I began to think about them as my stop approached. Something about those lyrics feels relevant to my past few months. It was up until a few days ago that I mustered up the courage to read my journal entry from night one with my permanent host family.
