The Girl Likes to Climb

      If you're a parent of young kids, you may have caught yourself wondering what his or her "thing" might be some day.  Maybe he's two and loves trains - and you thought, "Oh, a train conductor!"  Or he loves to line up cars in convoluted traffic patterns and you thought, "that person who rides in the helicopter and tells people about traffic (which I think is all done electronically now)."  Or maybe you thought, "a shoe salesperson" because she loves to try on shoes.  Whatever the oddity, you may have considered their future. No, not plan their life out, but imagine what they'll be, or do.  I love to do it, and it changes regularly, especially with Lydia who always surprises me.  It's fun to look at her personality at 6, and then guess what would suit her.  Of course, I would be wrong, but there are those people who can say, "I KNEW at age 5, I wanted to be a . . . ".  That wasn't me, and I'm guessing it won't be any of my kids.  But, it's still a fun game.
    Lydia's funny though. She's tasted a few sporty activities, but nothing that she just loved.  She's got a lot of years to find the hobby that will be called hers, but for now, I'm going with adventurer.  Why would I say that when anyone who knows her considers her quiet and shy?  Well, the girl likes to climb.   Jungle gyms, play houses, stop signs, trees - and she's pretty quick about it. Actually more so than her brother.
    Quick story.  I was at the park with Elijah, his friend and Lydia.  His friend climbed up a pretty high jungle gym and just sat at the top.  Lydia shimmied her way up as well and they sat there, and she bragged that she did it so quickly.  Elijah, bless his little heart, tried several times to make his way up, but he couldn't quite balance his body.  After I tried but failed to hold his weight to help him, he decided to stop and said, "I don't think climbing is my talent."  Isn't that so funny? His talent. He really thought about that one.
    So, what future do you see in climbing? Any ideas?  With the exception of Kenny's stern warning that she must in all cases, "stay off the pole" if you know what I mean, climbing is her thing, for now. And maybe by the 2028 Olympics some event will have been invented that uses climbing skills.  You never know, a parent can only dream.