CLOSER TO THE SUN

While on the shore watching a sunset the other day a father and his daughter were standing next to me

when the daughter said, “Daddy, pick me up…pick me up so I can see.”

“What do you mean?” the father asked…(like me he seemed a little stunned),

“Because,” she said as only a child can…”I want to be closer to the sun!”

“You’re so tall and I’m so short…it really isn’t fair.

I can’t see as much from down here…as you see from way up there.”

Now he could have taken a moment and to her innocent mind explain

that no matter what their perspectives the views were quite the same.

But he immediately picked her up and as she joined him in his space

her body shook with excitement and a smile lit up her face.

Her mouth fell open and her eyes grew wide as she looked left, right…all around

“The view is so much better here,” she said, “than it was down on the ground.”

They stood this way for a while…eyes focused straight ahead

until the father looked at his daughter, “This isn’t fair.” he said.

“You’ve seen what the sunset looks like from up here…but I’ve suddenly become aware

I have no idea what it looks like from your spot on the sand…way down there.”

So with her still in his arms he slowly and deliberately sat down on the ground…

And his mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide as he looked left, right…all around.

They spent the rest of that sunset standing up and sitting down 

and before the sunset was through

I couldn’t resist…I found myself standing up and sitting down too…

I had to smile as darkness descended heralding the end of another day

as they wandered off together…and I silently walked away…

We tend to lose our innocence…as we grow older 

we tend to think both views are the same…

but there on the shore watching the sunset…

I saw innocence reclaimed.