Some Things Don't Change

We normally take our daily walk in the morning, but today we were running a little behind, so we took it after lunch. It has been a hot summer, still is, and today it was pretty warm at noon. I noticed something. Because it has been so dry, many of the trees in the neighborhood have shed their leaves or pine needles. So, it was hot, but smelled like fall because of all the dead leaves. Kind of weird. But that's not what I'm writing about today. I noticed something else today, too. My kids have grown and changed, but they still have the same natures they did when they were toddlers.

When they outgrew their double stroller, I stopped going on walks. Why? Safety and harmony. Mason was between 1 and 3 and Jessica between 3 and 5. Mason would run way out in front. He wanted to go fast, and he didn't want to look at anything. He didn't care about the leaves or the stream or the birds. Knowing him, he probably memorized everything when he walked out the door. Jessica? She wanted to lag behind and look at everything. I stopped showing her stuff, because she would stop and examine it...forever. While Mason was 20 feet in front of me and still moving. I was constantly making one slow down or one speed up. When they didn't want to comply, I had to use force or threats or punish, because there's not a sidewalk in my neighborhood, so we were in the street and they needed to be with me. Not exactly a fun family time. They were so different. I just gave up on family walks as a routine. We still went sometimes, but it was too much work for everyday.

Now they are 12 and 10, and we are trying again. Sometimes we all walk and sometimes one rides a bike or a foot-powered scooter, but it is the same. Mason is way out in front and finishes before all of us, and Jessica lags behind and picks up leaves or watches birds. The difference? They don't have to be right beside me to be safe. They are old enough to watch for cars and get out of the road. So, they are still the same. One on-the-go with his own agenda and one day-dreamy and in her own world moving to the beat of her own drummer.

I wonder what they will be like at 22 and 24?