Gratitude Practice 2015 Day #2: Wind

Every night, around 5:45 pm my talented staff wrangle a rambunctious group of kiddos to the front lobby of the Sorenson Unity Center to await being picked up by their parents. By 5:45 pm these kiddos have experienced spelling and math and recess and school lunch and reading and kickball and art if they are lucky and more reading and math and that is before they arrive at our activity packed after school program. By 5:45 pm they are either flying high or dragging and exhausted and either way the final moments of any after school program are ripe with stories and emotion and require sometimes more energy than many grown ups can muster. Tonight at 5:45 pm after a few repetitive conversations about the effects of Daylight Savings our kiddos were wired and the dark, the dark sky and the fierce wind kept them inside hanging out in front of a large wall of glass windows. It did not take too long for two very curious kiddos to notice how each gust of wind was carrying a growing collection of autumn leaves around the surrounding walls of the front entry. Through the large glass windows one boy and one girl became enchanted and quickly ventured outside to play in the rustling leaves. First the wind served as a challenging imaginary wall to be jumped over and through and around. Then the wind became an invisible member of an ongoing game of tag. And if finally their budding imaginations took over completely and spells were being cast and arms were flung and fingers wiggled in an feudal attempt to control and predict its pattern. Lots of skipping about. Lots of "now  watch this..." Lots and lots of priceless creativity and imagination and make believe. Today, at 5:45 pm I was swept up in gratitude for the joy and wonder and creativity that spontaneously erupted thanks to a steady gust of wind, a collection of fallen autumn leaves and the unbridled excitement of children. Today at 5:45 pm I was reminded once again that my job does not suck and I am forever grateful that I get to work with kids everyday. Today, at 5:45 pm it became clear to me how lucky I am to get to watch moments like this blow into life and most of the time as unexpectedly as a big gust of wind. YouthCity forever!