We were admiring the full moon playing with pee-ka-boo with the clouds, when the four year old piped up, “Look, that rabbit looks so sad. I wonder why he is so sad?”
“Because he doesn’t have any friends to play with”, answered the six year old matter-of-factly.
We looked at the rabbit that I had first sighted on the surface of the moon when I was as old as my kids now are. “Where do you think the rabbit came from”, I asked casually. I did not really expect any answers, but was curious to know what they came up with.
“Maybe a rocket left him there”, piped up the younger one.
“Yes”, said the older one picking up his brother’s story. “That rabbit was the pet of an astronaut, and when the astronaut reached the moon, the rabbit ran away and got lost.”
“And, and”, continued the younger one. “that rabbit is making a burrow on the moon, and there are many burrows, and when you see the burrow from the earth, you can see a rabbit.”
I couldn’t help be amazed at the speed with which their imagination filled in the blanks. “Is that so?”, I said. “Then it must be a very old rabbit. Nobody has been to the moon for many years.”
They were silent for a few moments, as they digested the new piece of information.
“I think he must have painted the rabbit”, said the older one pointing to his brother. “No wonder the rabbit doesn’t look like a rabbit.”
“Yes. Yes. I did”, said the younger one.
I was speechless. Try as I might, I couldn’t get over the mental picture of my four year old, perched on a ladder, painting a rabbit on the surface of the moon.
What a marvelous thing is imagination.
14 comments:
What great imaginations! You have potential writers there, Rayna.
I wish I could write like that, must have a go some day,
Have a lovely day.
Yvonne.
Rayna - This is such a fascinating window into the way children think! How marvellous! Now I have a mental picture of a little one painting a rabbit on the moon... : )
Oh, I love that story. You're so right about how quick children can imagine. They are fresh and free, unencumbered by the things we adults learn isn't possible. Thanks for sharing this.
Wonderful story! What a treasure to be with the young with such fabulous imaginations. He painted the rabbit on the moon!!! Amazing!!
Hugs
SueAnn
Some clever boys you have there!
that's what I need - just the ability and desire to go with whatever arises. I love him painting on the moon and even more turning a dis into an honour! Darn fine kids you have, Natasha!
What a sweet story.
I agree. Children have wonderful imaginations. It's too bad that adults begin to lose that. Some adults. Some adults manage to find theirs again. I hope that's me.
CD
So cute! Aren't kids the greatest? Thanks for sharing that :)
They made an amazing picture in my head! Children really have a gift of imagination...I don't think we ever really get back to the amount of creativity we have when we're kids.
You have such fabulous kids! So this is where your BuNo project originated? Very nice!
@ Diane - *nods*
I hope so too.
@ Yvonne - to become a kid after being an adult, that must be the greatest accomplishment of all.
@ Margot - wondering if I should try and bring it into the story!
@ Tricia - thanks for visiting. And kids are amazing, aren't they? The leaps the imagination is capable of taking if unfettered by knowledge.
@ SueAnn - and I hope the wonder never ceases. I know I am blessed.
@ Alex - they are, aren't they?
@ Jan - sometimes I wake up at night, stream through the things they said and did all day, and I wonder how *I* produced such perfection.
@ Southpaw - thank you
@ Clarissa - I think any adult who is aware of the wonderful thing a childlike imagination is, retains some of it. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
@ KarenG - they are the best.
@ Elizabeth - sometimes I wish I could draw, just so I can translate some of the things they say into real pictures. I can actually see this happening.
@ Hart - the reverse. I was actually trying to get them interested in the project so they could do some drawings.
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