Little Giant Elephants

Franki has opened my world to magic.  Franki has opened my world to new possibilities.  Franki has opened my world to imagination and play and to having as much fun as I can in any moment.  There’s nothing like a child to remind you of who you really are.  There’s nothing like imagining a “little giant elephant” and allowing not my eyes to need to see it, but just believing it is there.  Franki sees “little giant elephants” in random corners of the house and under chairs and flying through the air.  Does she need to actually “see it to believe it”?  No, she just believes it’s there.  She made up this game where she pretends she’s a dog and I throw an imaginary bone or ball and she fetches and brings it back to me.  I know, that game is not likely to make the parenting magazine issue of “the best games to play with your child”, but she likes it, she made it up, and so, I just go with it.  Everything around her is not only to be seen as what it is, but also as something different.  The pillows on the couch become a fort, the napkin on the table becomes a hat, the step stool becomes a diving board, the pile of books become a laptop, the plastic hanger becomes a bat, I become a climbing gym and playground, the table becomes a drum, the chair becomes a trampoline, the spoon becomes something to comb the dog with.  Everywhere she looks, there is discovery to be made, adventure to be explored and joy to be experienced.  I was exposed to the idea a long time ago that the purpose of your life is joy, and I have a living, breathing example of someone who is doing that every day.  Her pursuit, her purpose, is joy.  She skips and hops and sings.  Ice cream is to be eaten any time of the day…why?  Because it tastes good.  What other reason is there?  She hasn’t conformed to any other belief than it is her sole purpose in life to feel good, to be joyful and to follow her next and her next and her next highest excitement.  And in the best way I can, I will continually support and allow that by being the best example of that myself, by following my own highest excitement in the moment.