Our Children

     Khalil Gibran said "our children are not our children but life's longing for itself."  Last weekend, my daughter met her sister-in-law at a music store that sold drum sets.  Leo, my 2 1/2 year old grandson had been banging on toy and trainer drums and pots and pans and pillows and vents for some time now.  Robin remembered that she received a drum set for her 3rd birthday but it quickly fell apart.  She was intent on buying Leo one that would not get torn apart.  She sent me an amazing video of Leo playing the drums at the store.  And he happily traded his full piggy bank for the drum set, which he calls "cymbals".
     We think children don't understand because they are too young.  We think children can't do things because they are too young.  Give them opportunities to prove us wrong.  I visited "Leo's house" yesterday and listened to him play his drums.  He wears headphones, of course.  "How long will he play them?" I asked Kate.
     "Until we tell him it's time to put away the sticks," she answered.
     It has been one week now and the sticks are showing marked signs of wear.  But he has two backup sets and another set elsewhere.  I expect that he is now saving for new sets of sticks and maybe some training lessons; but hope it won't spoil his natural rhythm and talent - however, he does play like a rock and roll drummer and not a jazz musician; so a few lessons down the road might broaden his perspective or ours.