Thursday, September 12, 2013

Writer's Reveal - Wonder


We have changed the name of the Secret Subject Swap to Writer's Reveal. This month, I was given the topic of "wonder" by Jodi Gibson.

Of course, because I was working today writing a Christmas story for kids for the Jingle Bells Anthology, the idea of wonder brought me straight to my children and their sense of wonder on Christmas day. I can even remember the looks on their faces when they opened gifts from Santa that were exactly what they had asked for. I love how easy it is for them to believe in the magic of Christmas, but it doesn't stop there.

Children know how to look at things with a sense of wonder. They know how to appreciate things as they see them. My children believe that when they see a pure white horse, it is really a unicorn using an illusion to hide its horn from the world. They believe that there are fairies in our garden. They even think I can occasionally read there minds.

They believe that, when a butterfly lands on one of them, it is giving them a blessing. And they believe that, when the wind blows in the trees, the sound the leaves make is really the trees talking, and that I know how to understand the language of the trees. I often hear, "What are the trees saying today, Mommy?" One day, I answered my son's question by telling him that the trees wanted us to dance with them. And that's exactly what we did; in the middle of the park, surrounded by wind and sunshine while under the trees, we danced.

Now I know that they will outgrow these things someday, but for now, I am loving every minute of it. And I am using their wonderful, joyous and innocent sense of wonder in the world around them to help me learn how to write my picture books. Because, the children that will be reading those books? - They are full of wonder too.

*****

The the other writers in Writer's Reveal are:


8 comments:

Emily said...

What a great article - I just love how children are full of wonder as well. Seems sad that we lose it under life's pressures, and one of the things I'm most grateful about, being a mother, is that I get to recapture some of that for a little while, with my own child.

Josefa @always Josefa said...

I love this topic and I love your response. Children hold wonder so preciously. I believe in many of those things too. I think the world, or our day, can be a little bit better if we do x

Melissa said...

I love the innocent wonder of kids, especially when they see something special around Christmas & other occasions :)

Unknown said...

Oh the joy of wonder through the eyes of a child. There is simply nothing better. I hope our children always retain a touch of their wonder. :)

Unknown said...

Wonder through the eyes of a child, there is nothing better. I hope our children always retain just a little bit.

Rhianna said...

Children really are the epitome of wonder aren't they? If only we could hold onto it for a bit longer sometimes.

Unknown said...

How sweet! That's one of my favorite things about children: the innocence with which they see the world around them. If only it could last... Great post!

Emily said...

I love this. Those little moments you have captured are so precious. I remember walking with my eldest when she was just starting to walk. Every rock, stone, bug, leaf or crack in the pavement was a thing of wonder. I hope I have the patience to let my next one experience this, too!