If you have kids of your own some day, you'll discover the paradox -- the cruel paradox? the reassuring paradox? -- that there is no way to set about creating this sort of magic experience for your child.
That's because your child's life will be enriched and made magic by some little thing that you are hardly aware of doing, that you certainly never thought would be that one magic thing. But it will be, for them, even if you don't intend it.
Your mother may have thought the soup was the important thing, never knowing that this other side-activity made the magic for you. If you think the magic is in making sandwiches for your kids, then they may find it somewhere else, in hunting through the fridge, or in hearing you hum that song you're not aware of humming.
So the cruel thing is that, no matter how carefully you choose the present, the kid may prefer to play with the box. (My kids got days, weeks, of joy from a big box that a new fridge came in.) The reassuring thing is that even if they don't find the magic where you tried to put it, they are very likely to find it somewhere else.
Brava. It’s always good, Ms. Lavin. But this is exceptionally wonderful. Thank you.
Lovely story, and thanks for sharing.
If you have kids of your own some day, you'll discover the paradox -- the cruel paradox? the reassuring paradox? -- that there is no way to set about creating this sort of magic experience for your child.
That's because your child's life will be enriched and made magic by some little thing that you are hardly aware of doing, that you certainly never thought would be that one magic thing. But it will be, for them, even if you don't intend it.
Your mother may have thought the soup was the important thing, never knowing that this other side-activity made the magic for you. If you think the magic is in making sandwiches for your kids, then they may find it somewhere else, in hunting through the fridge, or in hearing you hum that song you're not aware of humming.
So the cruel thing is that, no matter how carefully you choose the present, the kid may prefer to play with the box. (My kids got days, weeks, of joy from a big box that a new fridge came in.) The reassuring thing is that even if they don't find the magic where you tried to put it, they are very likely to find it somewhere else.
Now my mouth is watering. What a wonderful reminiscence of your youth, and a worthy addition to the Sandwich tales!