Enthusiasm

One of the things no one ever seems to mention about two year olds - is just how enthusiastic they can be about the simplest things. Except for Dooce, of course.

Their enthusiasm makes up for the tremendous fits that they throw when they don't get their way. They scream, cry, stomp their feet on the floor, sometimes throw their whole body on the floor - it's both fascinating and frustrating to watch. Typically, they get over these fairly quickly. But those five minutes can seem like an eternity.

Take for example, bath time. We have a consistent routine where around a half hour before they go to bed, my two take a bath. They love bath time. The other night, I was standing in the hall - for some reason not able to see a clock. Goose and Noggin were running around in our front room. I asked my husband (standing close to a clock) what time it was. Goose and Noggin immediately said "BATH TIME!" (Jumping up and down at the same time as saying bath time, bath time).

Or last night, when I called my husband just after I left work. Both Goose and Noggin are talking excitedly in the background and want to talk with me. My husband hands the phone to Goose. I ask her how she's doing and if she went to school today. She says "I WENT TO SCHOOL!".

I don't know where I lost that excitement about life. Because, they are genuinely thrilled to experience new things - or even just everyday things.

At times it's inspiring - at other times I feel a little guilty because I just can't muster up that much excitement about applesauce.

I read Alexander McCall Smith's Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency the other day. It's a good book and a quick read. In it, one of the characters muses that younger people just aren't very enthusiastic, because being enthusiastic is just not cool.

I wonder what we've lost from that attitude. My new (personal) goal is to notice something every day and think about just how remarkable it is. The turning leaves or the moon are obvious choices. But something as simple as a book - being able to knit. Or people - especially people who have faced tremendous adversity. How amazing that it is made it to the place that it's in. Or a person - or a philosophy. It's a difficult exercise - not easy to be conscious of these things.