One

The little girl sitting next to her stuffed bunny, reading a story out loud.

The bright, smiling, sun is her best friend. Read and smile, read and smile.

When I pass by her, she looks up at me, rosy cheeks and a jack-o-lantern grin,

and says, “ Hi! Want to be my friend?”

Two

The little boy at the park, who can only get to the second rung of the monkey bars.

He picks through a pile of leaves, like it was treasure.

Pick one up, then throw it in the air. Pick one up, then throw it in the air.

They are all so great. He turns to me, a dark haired boy, filled with confusion.

And says, “ Which is cooler, red or green ones?”

Three

The boy at the library. Sitting in the middle of an aisle, entranced in a book.

Choose and read, choose and read.

He turns to me, eyes blue and sparkling,

and says, “ Aren't dinosaurs awesome?!”

I am all of those kids. We love learning and exploring.

Absorbing up every bit of information. We are sponges, taking it all.

We have moments of laziness and fear driven determination.

Reading the Sunday comics while eating a bowl of Froot Loops.

We speed through homework, so we can run outside and play.