Seagull, come back!

Yesterday Kim and I sat on the beach enjoying the sunniest day yet this week. I am paying for that today, by the way, and will be reapplying aloe shortly. But it was beautiful. We both brought reading to do--Gregory and Howard Thurman--but instead, we spent most of our time watching the group of absolutely adorable kids set up in front of us. There were two little girls in matching tankinis and colorful plastic sunglasses, and two little boys who couldn't quite walk yet digging in the sand wearing floppy hats.

Kids are fun to watch because they're just so excited about everything. They see and value parts of God's world that the rest of us take for granted. Like the little girl with her small pink pail shouting, "I have SHELLS in my bucket!" And was it her or her sister stumbling after a seagull yelling, "Seagull, come back! Come back, seagull!" Grown ups all hate seagulls, like the the old guy chasing them away shouting "There's no such thing as a free lunch!" But for kids there is something inexlicably magical about these birds. A few days before we'd even sat for a while watching a small baby slowly crawl after a completely unconcerned seagull for a very long time.

I love that kids love seagulls just because they're there. I love that they find so much excitement in a pink pail full of broken shells. I love how they remind me to see parts of creation that I don't, even the parts of creation that poop on you and try to steal your sandwich.


photo courtesy of Lauren :)