{Sleeping
in Goggles: The Beauty of a Child's Imagination}
Like many nights before, the kids, hubby and I were
all getting ready for bed. We were brushing our teeth, putting on our pajamas,
preparing the pillows and blankets for our nightly rest. While checking in to
make sure the kids were almost ready to go to sleep, I saw my oldest sitting in
bed, trying to put on some water goggles my mother had bought her the day
before.
"Ixchel, what are you doing with those?" I
asked.
"I want to wear them," she answered.
At this point it was getting late and I brushed this
nonsense aside, took the goggles from her and hung them on the headboard.
"Ixchel, you can't wear those to bed. Goggles
are for the water. Anyways, they are going to bother you at night. I'm going to
hang them right here so you don't lose them!"
"Okay, Mami," she replied.
I went on with the nightly routine and, after I was
finally ready to kiss my babies goodnight, a smile came across my face when I
saw my beautiful Leah Ixchel laying in bed, sleeping with her goggles on.
At first I chuckled at the sight of my little girl
wearing those things in bed. But then I paused and I really took in the sight
before me. It was magical! It brought thoughts of fantasy, adventure,
exploration and imagination to my mind! I wondered whether my little girl was
off on a scuba diving expedition or maybe she was in an airplane flying high in
the sky.
When I saw her laying there, wearing those goggles,
I was glad she hadn't listened to me. I didn't want to squash her sense of
wonder, her sense of imagination. I want to nurture that and be the one who
supports her in all her endeavors (be they imaginary or not). As a matter of
fact, I wish I could bring back that childhood innocence I once had in me.
Many times we get caught up in everyday life: going
to work, running errands, paying bills... just being practical, being adults!
We might as well be on auto pilot, seeing that sometimes we can't distinguish
one day from another because the days are all too similar. And just like we can
fall victim to routine, our kids can be subject to it too: do your homework, do
your chores, do this, do that!
So here's what I want to do. I want to build forts
out of blankets and chairs and camp out in the living room, I want to fashion
pirate swords out of cardboard and go searching for treasure, or maybe use a
makeshift spaceship to travel across space and discover new planets.
Seeing how the adult world can keep me busy and I'll
probably forget how inspired I was, I need to make sure to tell the kiddos my
plan because I'm sure they'll make sure that I don't forget!
{About Sybil}
Sybil is an aspiring Houston Latina blogger. When
not hesitating to write for herself, you will find her writing and producing
for a local Spanish television station’s Community Affairs Department, where
she has been since August 2003. Sybil graduated in May 2003 from the University
of St. Thomas with a Bachelor’s in Communications and Spanish, minor in
Theology. Sybil is the mother of three
beautiful children and wife of Francisco Sánchez.
You can read more from her at
www.sybilblog.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter @sybil_sanchez,
Instagram: @sybil_sanchez and LinkedIn: Sybil Moncivais Sanchez.
