The Thoughts Of Benny

Yesterday was soccer practice for Sam. Benny and I went, watched a few minutes, and then began our usual practice of wandering the park, killing time.

I had brought along the camera, and Benny wanted to know why, why, WHY did I have the camera? Because with Benny it's all about knowing. And understanding. And learning. He's not trying to be nosey...he just has this need to know things. All things. And since I was only distractedly mumbling some vague answer about the camera, he was forced to draw his own conclusions, which were: Surely the camera was there to take a picture of him balancing on a soccer ball.

And I can assure you there was just a BIT of directing of the taking of the photo as well.



So we began walking and Benny told me many things he felt I should know. The first was delivered in the tone of voice you use to tell someone something terribly grave they may need to sit down for: "Mommy. Did you know that someday our house will be buried in mud?"

I said, "Really. How come?" He said, as though it were obvious, "Well. Think about the DINOSAURS. How did they come to be buried the way they are? It's because of time. In time, the earth just....." And on and on he went, describing in his own way, the mericiless forces of time and elements.

As if to cheer me up he directed my attention to kinder things, telling me what he's been learning in school lately. Benny has always been extremely diligent about my education. I remember when he took it upon himself to teach me about the solar system, for example. And rocks. And spiders. He loves to pass on knowledge, and he loves to ask me questions to see if I'm listening. "Do you know what that kind of cloud is called?" "Did you know when you look at black, you are looking at every color, all at once?" I never know what he's going to bring up next.

Of great fascination to him at the park is the newly constructed metal bridge. Every time we wander across it, he wonders. He wonders how long it took to build it. How many men were used. How much it cost. And why on earth did they leave behind this marvelous tool? (Said as he picked up a forgotten screw/drill thingie.)

He asked to take my picture on the bridge, and told me where to stand:













Then I took his.

Later I mentioned and showed my blog to him. And immediately, he wanted one of his own.

So now he's hard at work on his very own blog. He's starting with a subject near and dear to his heart: A trip to DC Gram and Grandad took him on this past summer. We set up his blog, posted a handful of photos, and he is diligently typing like mad to describe the whole trip, place by place. I have no doubts he'll finish. And when he does, I can't wait to read the thoughts of Benny!