Longing to be Little

Joshua jumped, like a young giraffe, onto Jeremy's back, eliciting screams of fatherly anguish.

The look of sheepishness on his face perfectly countered the look of disapproval on Jeremy's, and my little heart went out to Josh.

"He still wants to be a little boy," I thought.

I imagine that, in his head, Joshua still thinks he's small and carry-able. It's a tad unfair, then, that his body is at least four years ahead of his brain.

I watched him dart in between displays and customers at the grocery store the other day, and didn't think anything of it until a lady pushing her cart scowled at Joshua and muttered, "Jeez!" as he flew by, all gangly arms and legs. I'm used to it, but I got the idea that she felt like her life was in danger, the headlines of her imaginary newspaper reading something like, "Woman stampeded to death by crazed giraffe-boy in supermarket."

I feel a tad melancholy for Josh. I remember being that young and all I wanted was the comfort of curling up on my Dad's lap, or to hold hands with someone bigger than me as we walked through a crowded place. That sort of comfort is paramount to a young, insecure little person. At some point, that sort of thing comes to an end, only to be found again when you grow up and fall in love.

So, as awkward as it looks, all legs and arms that he is, I will hold my tongue when he decides to sit and be cuddled on Jeremy's lap.

But, I suppose growing up isn't all bad...

...there are some advantages to being super tall as a kid...