The Narrow Path
This child goes right to sleep if you read to him for ten minutes. Last night I hadn’t been reading for even that long before he folded his small shoulder into his body like a bird preparing for rest, turned on his side and was dead to the world.It was different with his littler brother, who, somewhere in the last six months, has gone from the man of limited vocabulary you see here to someone who has more to say than Robin Williams himself, and can say it just as fast.At home, the two sleep in twin beds pushed together to make better use of a room that is at all times spiky with Lego towers, and draped in clotheslines and various fort-making fabrics. But during their sleepover at our house last night the older child begged to sleep alone.So we tried the little guy in his old crib, with one of its side removed to make it seem like a youth bed. He wasn't having it. He kept saying that he wasn’t going to lie down; that he wasn’t tired at all and in fact thought he'd like to have another whole supper, then play with his toys... I tried for a solid hour to get him sleepy with songs and picture books.We finally left him there in his little room and for 15 whole minutes his grandpa and I lived in a fool's paradise, believing him to be asleep at last. That’s when the door to his room creaked open and he emerged all smiles, a toy hammer in one hand and wearing the kind of hearing protection ear muffs you see on the runways of your larger airports.It was then that David finally picked him up, “Let’s go tell stories in TT and Papa’s bed!” he said and into our room the child went, and there remained the night through while I took my pillow and slept elsewhere. Poor little boy! He was fine today, as shiny as a new penny and ready to help dig that hole clear to China with his big brother above. (Here he is below, appreciating the heck out of those wind chimes I spoke of yesterday.) What a hard time we all do have when we can’t find that narrow path to dreamland![youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGhpX7OdwgQ]
