Story time

(source)


We walked to story time today.  She snug in her carrier pressed against my chest, occasionally looking up at me and smiling.  I point out things to her as they pass....red truck, puerta azul, grass, arbol, un senor, un perrito, un pajaro....she looks at me blankly, staring in wonder at the leaves rustling in the warm September breeze. 


We pass the fire station, several firemen are outside cleaning one of the firetrucks.

I whisper to her in Spanish, "your great-grandpa was a fire chief".  I think of my grandfather, he died when I was 15.  I remember climbing on the trucks as a young child and cheering with pride when he would march pass in a parade, "that's my grandpa", I would say, "he's a firefighter". 

Back in high school a hippie friend and I went into a headshop and the owner told my friend about the amazing, colorful aura she could see around her.  When I asked about my aura, I was told that I don't have one.  The woman dressed in batik told me that I have a big old man who watches out for me and lets me go a little off track to learn but when I've gone too far off he pulls be back.  I think he's grandfather.  He watches me.  He watches my daughter.  I am grateful to know that he's there. 

I still wonder though, why don't I have an aura?  Was I not born with one?  Or did I somehow lose it along the way?  How do I go about acquiring an aura?  I think I'd like one. 

This post is linked up with Just Write an exercise in free writing.