Time's Tribute

I have what my mom likes to call my 'entorage' or my 'cronies' or even my 'little fan club.' It consists of all my younger cousins, our neighbor's kids, and even a few of their friends. In fact, I'm pretty sure one of them is reading this right now (Hi Rissi!) I'm not sure how it came about besides the fact that I refuse to grow up in some ways (okay, lots of ways) I do what they do because, well, what fun is sitting around visiting with the 'grown-ups' when you can still get away with going outside and defeating 'bad-guys' or scaling castle walls or reporting to secret agent headquaters? (I get story ideas from these things--no joke!) I know I can't get away with it forever, but in the meantime...

I love them all! I was once a nominee for homecoming and was riding in the back of a truck during the parade all dressed up pretty and professional when suddenly, from the sparse crowd we all heard an enthusiastic, "HI DOLLY!!!" I laughed and waved back. Then another "HEY DOLLY!!!" and another and another. My fellow nominees began to laugh too and give me a few curious looks, but I think I was smiling to big to answer.



There are times though, when I walk away from a game feeling like a jerk for various reasons. It's not like I'm some super-awesome person who just attracts kids like a picnic does flies. It's more like they're super-awesome kids who willingly accept a teen like me who needs their childlike simplicity to bring me out of my highschool drama and back down to earth. I once asked my mom how I even deserved such honored attention from such sweet spirits.

"I don't get it," I sighed, "Why do they get so excited when I show up." I most definatly wouldn't.

"It's how you make them feel," she wisely replied.



I thought about that a lot that day. How did I make them feel? It's not like I showered them with compliments. I mean, I gave a few here and there and could probably work and doing that more. I was nice to them, but so is everyone else. All I really did was be myself. Then it clicked: Time.



I've come to believe that time is probably one of the best compliments you can give someone. I have two older cousins probably reading this right now (Hi Julianne! Hi Alicia!) that taught me how to even do all these things. Julianne once played Barbies with me and I still remember which ones are the ones she gave me because I remember her playing with them. Alicia has taught me how to make AMAZING crafts that I would've never even thought of even though it took most her afternoon and she has two small kids. And those creations are still sitting in my room, proudly atop of my windowsill.

I look up to those guys and just knowing that they care enough to give their time still makes my day. Shoot, just the fact that they take the time to read this blog is one of the reasons I keep it going!
I think, thought, that this gift is one of the reasons we love our parents so much or those true friends. Same goes for school teachers, neighbors, the guy at the check-out window who was willing to fix your order.

And, of course, our Savior who spent his entire lifetime for us.




That ought to make us feel at least a little special.