Contentment

Today during naptime, Zach and I were cuddled up. He suddenly got choked up and asked, "Mom, can I keep on having birthdays and adding numbers, but never grow up? I want to be a kid forever." I couldn't believe he was emotional about it, I think I said, "But Zach, by the time you are a grown up, I think you will be ready to be one." He starts to cry and he says, "But I don't ever want to grow up." When I probed deeper, this is what he said: "I really like me just the way I am and I don't want to change. I don't want to get older or bigger, I want to be just like I am forever."

THAT is true contentment.

I remember always wanting to be older than I was--or bigger--or something...until I was a certain age, then I wanted to be younger. (I think it might have been 25??) We still strive to be better than we are, in a different place in life, or just different somehow.

THIS boy is content. He loves his little simple 4 year old life life so much, he does not want to ever change. Why can't we all have the presence of mind to be like that? Today, he is my hero. He taught me more in one sentence than I have learned for quite a long time.