My daughter likes to make paper kites. There has to be 30 of them around the house- as I cleaned my studio this week I found 15 more. They don't fly. She makes them really colorful with several layers of construction paper, glued on beads, colorful ribbons, etc. Then- she ties a long strand of kitchen twine to it and adds a tail. The tail has to be "special". Using a satin ribbon- I purchased to adorn her curly blond hair - she ties toys to the tail.
With full confidence in her aeronautic engineering, she takes the kite outside and runs, full speed - to make the kite fly. She has done this for an hour at a time only giving up- declaring that "It's just not windy enough."
I couldn't bring myself to throw out these kites. I have become all too aware that my time left with things like paper kites is very precious and winding down. She's 9 and 1/2. She's at the age when skepticism is waiting around the corner- magic is packing it's bags. She's still very much a believer in all things tooth fairy and Santa Claus- but I know- I don't have long.
One of these days, she will make a paper kite, deciding to leave off all of the beads and glue. She will think critically of the speed at which she will have to run and the direction the wind is blowing. She will untie the objects of her childhood- that are weighing it all down.
And the kite will take flight.
And so will she.
7 comments:
Am bawling now... You should print that out and keep it somewhere with her 1st report card and stuff.
That almost made me cry. I have a 12yr old boy so I can understand. Unfortunately his wonder went out the door after he lost his first tooth. He busted the tooth fairy trying to leave money in his tooth fairy pillow. Now he is all about video and computer games in which you blow things up. I am holding out hope that my 4yr old won't lose his wonder as fast.
Awww, so sweet Kelly. You should take photos of all the kites, make a little accordion book for her someday.
This is great, Kelly! A way to document the life of your beautiful girl:)
Yes she may however if she is like my daughter she will not loose her belief in all things magic and whose eyes still fill with wonder when she sees a great piece of art. Oh and by the way I still believe in Santa don't you???? MOM
Great post Kelly,
At a conference I went to recently I heard E B Lewis say, "We are documentors of Life." You've reminded me of that- I don't know how I can ever be searching for material when I have three kids and endless possibilities!
Thanks!
Aw! =)
Lovely art and fantastic post, they are wonderful together (and the doughnut song is a great touch).
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