Past few evenings have been such a joy, watching my seven-year old and the kids from neighborhood play, a team of 8 -10 kids, age range from 4-9, play long and hard, endlessly, up until it get’s dark, beyond Eight Thirty. And I am ending up buying bubble making toys to my son, once in every couple of days, because they break so fast 🙂 The kids around here are into play with bubbles a lot these days, they also play simple, and silly they play tag. It is a joy to watch them smile, giggle and laugh a lot as they play. Occasionally, my child comes up to me for a hug. My friend and I hang out on patio, sipping coffee and watch our kids play. We are now falling into a routine of some sort. I love and enjoy watching the kids play. It brings me back memories of fantastic times I have spent as a child in Gadwal, my home town, playing with my brothers, cousins and a bunch of friends and kids from the neighborhood. Which reminded me of a poem by Rabindranath Tagore I read a long time ago. Here it is, I hope you like it.
Colored Toys
When I bring to you colored toys, my child,
I understand why there is such a play of colors on clouds, on water,
and why flowers are painted in tints
—when I give colored toys to you, my child.
When I sing to make you dance
I truly now why there is music in leaves,
and why waves send their chorus of voices to the heart of the listening earth
—when I sing to make you dance.
When I bring sweet things to your greedy hands
I know why there is honey in the cup of the flowers
and why fruits are secretly filled with sweet juice
—when I bring sweet things to your greedy hands.
When I kiss your face to make you smile, my darling,
I surely understand what pleasure streams from the sky in morning light,
and what delight that is that is which the summer breeze brings to my body
—when I kiss you to make you smile.
– Rabindranath Tagore.
Radhika Bauerle Radhika Puranam 