This past week, four-year-old grandson H. noticed an accumulation of pocket change my Beloved had dropped onto the counter beside the bathroom sink. With typical gusto, this little guy exclaimed, “Looks like it’s my lucky day!” Of course, my Beloved was thoroughly amused and passed the tale onto me. (I promptly related the story to his parents.)
Given this grandson’s tender age, he has no actual need for money. In fact, give him a couple pennies and within a short while, he’ll have dropped them on a table somewhere … favoring instead a toy car or Legos. Like most little boys, his attention span is the length of a distraction. No matter what he’s busy doing, it won’t be long before he’s moved on to something else equally interesting.
Furthermore, the boy has no concept of value yet. When my Beloved asked whether he wanted a dime or a quarter, he chose a dime, which my Beloved immediately gave him. He could hold a hundred dollar bill in his little fist and it would have no greater meaning to him than any other piece of paper (or fabric). He is oblivious.
Consider also, his comprehension of what “lucky day” means, it’s totally limited. He has (obviously) heard this phrase from one (or more) of the adults in his life and is parroting the specific emotion he’s witnessed as the words were said. He knows there’s something “good” about the phrase, but precisely what, he couldn’t tell you.
This kind of childish exuberance is restorative! I realized my grandson is a great model for us oldsters who have forgotten what it’s like to fully embrace life’s regular gifts. Continue reading “It’s My Lucky Day!”