"Wuk, Wowa, wuk!" 
These are my granddaughter Charlize's words whenever she wants to call my attention to whatever new find or skill she suddenly discovers she's capable of doing. "Look, Lola, look!"---uttered in her two and a half year old twang ---always sounds jazz and every marching band to my ears. That's me, proud Lola!
Charlize is my daughter Lucci's second child, next to Paolo Joaquin, my other source of joy (a lot more "Lola" stories about them in later postings.) A few days ago, Charlize happily found out that she could actually hold it a little while longer and dash straight to the toilet to poo. Being set free from stinky and sticky bumbum (She used to do it with her nappy or diaper still on. As if you didn't know!) must have been such an allelujia moment in her blossoming life! Had I been there, she would have excitedly called out and showed Wowa this "accomplishment" herself.
But it's been more than two months now since I last heard her say, "Wuk, Wowa, wuk!" That was when I visited my daughter's family in Australia's New South Wales last April. I gladly babysat Charlize to give my daughter, even temporarily, some reprieve from her multi-tasking go-round. Charlize's short attention span and inquisitiveness made her mind wander from wonder to yonder. Lego blocks now, tinkering with her mini piano in a minute. Browsing a book now, dancing a moment later. Now vying for space in the kitchen sink to "help" me wash the dishes, in a wink scrambling for her toy michrophone for an urge to sing. Oh how she croons at the top of her larynx while Maria coaches her wards with "Do Re Mi" in the movie The Sound of Music.
Age of wonder! Since when have I last viewed things like Charlize?
We of the mature ("old" sounds so yawny) generation used to wonder too, so much so that a day was not enough for discovering new joys. Young once upon a time, we rode the train or the bus and pressed our noses---even poked our heads out the window to savor the rushing wind, and let our eyes be overwhelmed by the amazing sights around us. That was when we used to look at the world without filter or bias, but as it was, bursting with color and texture and sound and life. That was when like us, our playmates were not afraid of touching bugs or earthworms, "cooked" leaves and flowers for little paper dolls, frolicked under the rain or rolled in muddy pools.
How many times have we asked, "Why?" And not seemed to have been satisfied with the answer, we begged with another, "Why?" Those instances in our young lives when we were just like sponges, readily soaking up each new "Wow!," "Aha!" and "Cooool!" moment because they were just too precious to let go. And by God, they were just so wonderful we could not stop figuring them out, so we desperately needed to run to somebody and say, "Look, how awesome!"
Even without cataracts or jaundice, a lot of people's eyes (or is it hearts?) have become jaded. "I'm too old for silly things. No time to waste. Busy! Don't bother me with childish matters." Thank God for grandchildren. They let us see the world and each fleeting moment for what they are.
I wonder what Charlize will teach me next time I see her again.
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)
These are my granddaughter Charlize's words whenever she wants to call my attention to whatever new find or skill she suddenly discovers she's capable of doing. "Look, Lola, look!"---uttered in her two and a half year old twang ---always sounds jazz and every marching band to my ears. That's me, proud Lola!Charlize is my daughter Lucci's second child, next to Paolo Joaquin, my other source of joy (a lot more "Lola" stories about them in later postings.) A few days ago, Charlize happily found out that she could actually hold it a little while longer and dash straight to the toilet to poo. Being set free from stinky and sticky bumbum (She used to do it with her nappy or diaper still on. As if you didn't know!) must have been such an allelujia moment in her blossoming life! Had I been there, she would have excitedly called out and showed Wowa this "accomplishment" herself.
But it's been more than two months now since I last heard her say, "Wuk, Wowa, wuk!" That was when I visited my daughter's family in Australia's New South Wales last April. I gladly babysat Charlize to give my daughter, even temporarily, some reprieve from her multi-tasking go-round. Charlize's short attention span and inquisitiveness made her mind wander from wonder to yonder. Lego blocks now, tinkering with her mini piano in a minute. Browsing a book now, dancing a moment later. Now vying for space in the kitchen sink to "help" me wash the dishes, in a wink scrambling for her toy michrophone for an urge to sing. Oh how she croons at the top of her larynx while Maria coaches her wards with "Do Re Mi" in the movie The Sound of Music.
Age of wonder! Since when have I last viewed things like Charlize?
We of the mature ("old" sounds so yawny) generation used to wonder too, so much so that a day was not enough for discovering new joys. Young once upon a time, we rode the train or the bus and pressed our noses---even poked our heads out the window to savor the rushing wind, and let our eyes be overwhelmed by the amazing sights around us. That was when we used to look at the world without filter or bias, but as it was, bursting with color and texture and sound and life. That was when like us, our playmates were not afraid of touching bugs or earthworms, "cooked" leaves and flowers for little paper dolls, frolicked under the rain or rolled in muddy pools.
How many times have we asked, "Why?" And not seemed to have been satisfied with the answer, we begged with another, "Why?" Those instances in our young lives when we were just like sponges, readily soaking up each new "Wow!," "Aha!" and "Cooool!" moment because they were just too precious to let go. And by God, they were just so wonderful we could not stop figuring them out, so we desperately needed to run to somebody and say, "Look, how awesome!"
Even without cataracts or jaundice, a lot of people's eyes (or is it hearts?) have become jaded. "I'm too old for silly things. No time to waste. Busy! Don't bother me with childish matters." Thank God for grandchildren. They let us see the world and each fleeting moment for what they are.
I wonder what Charlize will teach me next time I see her again.
"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the
kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3)
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