Sunday, March 8, 2009

Kids!


I spent all day yesterday at the local High Schools pancake day and craft sale. This event is a major fund raiser for the schools sports programs. I team up with a fellow carver friend for these events. I had some stuff there to sell, but mostly I just sit and carve for the kids. What I mean is, I carve little things and give them to the kids (See photo). This activity is a source of much joy for the kids, but enormously more for me. Watching and listening to these first graders and a little older kids is amazing. Just looking into their eyes reveals so much of their trust. We as adults may forget from time to time just how much impact we have on young kids. Kids seem to be drawn to wood carving. They will stand and watch you carve for hours. And if you engage them in conversation, and listen to them you will hear and understand. I heard so much love revealed for their grand paws and uncles who carved or made things for them. Maybe some of use need to pay a wee bit more attention to our kids, grand kids, and great grand kids. We are very important to them.

3 comments:

Bob Tinsley said...

Sounds like a lot of fun, Tom. I've thought of setting up a carving demonstration outside the store that sells my Santas. Just got to convince the owner it would be a good idea.

Bob

Canarella said...

And you are just as important to us.......kids are great becuse there is so much truth some tines to much.....love U

Chris said...

Oh, Tom, you just brought back a lovely memory of watching my Grandpa when I was little. He loved to tinker in his dark, damp basement workshop with wood. I can't remember him ever actually making a thing. He just tinkered. Sometimes a little whittling that turned into nothing at all. But it was a peaceful activity for him and a time for either my brother or I to just spend a little one on one time together. Mostly, Grandpa liked to talk so maybe it was just his way of keeping us attentive, watching what he worked on, all the while, soaking up one of his "family stories". I don't think as adults, we completely realize how important we are to kids.