Glaciers

If you stare at a glacier for just a few moments, you will never come to understand how much this structure evolves with time. Yet studied over centuries, glaciers are one of the main mechanisms of terraforming, including the formation of the tallest mountains, the deepest valleys, and the broadest plains. The same qualitative observations can be made with our children. Being with them on the day-to-day, we lose sight of the fact that they evolve and grow. When my own daughter was born, I could easily support her entire body on my forearm. Today, she is nearly as tall as I am. Though the movements are glacial, they are definite and assured.

Sometimes we catch a glimpse along the way of how far they have come. For me I took notice when I tossed an empty bottle of my daughter's mouth rinse into the recycle bin. It was then that I noticed the "kids" demarkation on the label. It occurred to me that this was the last association of her with her childhood. In days past she would get excited by products designed just for her. They always seems to bring a smile and a dose of excitement. I loved buying her shampoos and soaps for her bathroom that featured Barbie or Spongebob or, my favorite, Winnie the Pooh. Those days are long past now, but not so distant that their echos have died out completely.