Today I spent 8 hours with my 9-year-old cousin, Malik. We disassembled, sanded, primed, painted, de-rusted, oiled and almost reassembled a bike for his sister's birthday present. I learned that he has a great imagination, a short attention span, a strong desire to be helpful but a fear of failing in the attempt.
He hates the Gummy Bear song, and he often gets a stomach ache because he talks so much at meal time that he scarfs his food without chewing in order to avoid being left alone at the table. He's not a fan of carrot cake, and has some of the shiniest, straightest, prettiest hair you've ever seen. He gets a huge kick from using tools, and has no idea that a razor blade is actually dangerous. He also likes to be organized with other people's things, i.e. tools and toys etc. (His own things? Not so much.)
He's super excited about me being at his house because there is a guy around that is like him, looks like him, thinks a little more like him, and can do fun guys things. This morning before setting out to the deck to work on the bike, he tells his mother, "We going [out] to be men!" Lots of things in life don't go as you plan. Sometimes frustrations set in when you're kicking at the goads trying to have your way. Then, in the meantime, if you stop kicking long enough, you realize you've stopped exactly where you were meant to. If only for a little while.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
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