I was sitting on a towel in the sand, keeping watch over my two little guppies in the water and soaking up some vitamin D.
She walked up next to me while speaking rapid-fire Spanish, an excited expression on her face. I caught about two words, and assumed she was talking about the toys on the beach that my boys were playing with, that they were hers.
I tried to answer her. It was awkward. The boys watched.
Wait. They did not just watch. It was more than that. They sat enthralled, looks of interest and awe on their faces, defenses down.
It’s not that they’ve never been around people who speak something other than English, they have, quite a lot, actually. But maybe it had been a while, or maybe it was just her, this girl, the way she carried herself with such joy.
I think that’s what it was.
It wasn’t about the ways she was different, it was about the ways she was the same.
She never stopped talking. She was like a little motor boat with her words her engine. It was absolutely beautiful to watch her, the way she had no insecurity, no fear of these strange boys that said nearly nothing back to her.
And they, well…they didn’t get uncomfortable or frustrated…they didn’t look to me to explain what she was saying. They simply started following her lead.
Because really, we all speak the same language.
This. Is freaking priceless. And hilarious. And terrifying.Just a glimpse into my future, watching girls fall for my boys.
{ 16 comments }
Agreed! That last photo is priceless!! He'll treasure that one forever.
That last photo of her, checking out your little man, is awesome!
Isn't it great how kids are so open to new people, and so instinctively tolerant of differences. How sad that we somehow take that away from them…
That last picture is amazingly perfect! I think you have caught a glimpse of the future there.
Yowzers, look at that last pic!!!!!!
They are that way because you are!
What is up with the word verification on these posts. Mine was mutdown…that is a heck of a word to start your morning with!
I love it.
I love how kids can make instant friends! They need nothing in common except the space they share. Great post!
Very cute! We have our 7 year old in a Spanish Immersion program at school- half her day is spent in Spanish and she's learning. It's so fun to hear her speak her Spanish words with her little Mexican accent. Good times!
You take some beautiful photos. These look like they came from a magazine. I'm so jealous and wish I had your skills right now. Gorgeous to look at. Thank you.
I actually am having a little trouble with the whole girl meets boy meets girl thing. I'm excited about it and completely immersed here with 2 teenagers. But there is something strange about actually dealing with the reality that my babies, those little ones who used to need me to push them on the swings and help them across the street are sexual beings. I'm just sayin'. It's a little weird. I'm doing my best to bite my tongue so they don't know I think that.
If only everyone agreed that we all speak the same language. :)
Beautiful pics. Looks like fun.
so. great. :-)
That last photo is great. I can see this in my future too, with my son. I don't want him to grow up that quickly though!
That last photo is great. I can see this in my future too, with my son. I don't want him to grow up that quickly though!
That last photo is great. I can see this in my future too, with my son. I don't want him to grow up that quickly though!
i love this post-i have a daughter (now 20) who was 5 when we spent a week in Pisa with my brother…by time we left she had made friend with 7 neighborhood children-they spoke no english and she (and her 3 sisters) spoke no italian-but they played and played and played and my brother said he was never so popular in his life-until we left! there is a universal language of love that children just understand-what happens to us when we grow up?
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