Get in the Door

There was a knock on our front door. Our neighbor introduced us to a little girl who was looking for a playground on our side of town. She had her bike, a round sparkling face, short hair and a stance that announced that she was eager to take on her new world she had moved into. She would find her place in that world today if she had her way.

She had moved from a "noisy" city filled with dogs and children, had been to her first day of school and was looking for playmates in our neighborhood. We talked for a while and I tried my best to think of another girl about nine years old who lived nearby. Most of our quiet neighborhood has retirees or residents with no children.

I was eager to help her. I was drawn to her "take charge" attitude, and in many ways she reminded me of myself at that age. Also I discovered that her folks were opening the restaurant that had been closed for about a year. It is two blocks from our house and we had been frequent customers for breakfast with the easy walk to its front door. I was delighted that it would be opening soon.

We wandered around to our alley where a new family had moved into a few months back. I was aware that they had children, but was uncertain of the ages.

"I think they are younger than you."

"That's okay", she said. We waited for a while, chatting about her two younger brothers, her first day at school, when a truck drove up to the house. A man got out, followed by a little girl of five or six. I suggested that she check it out.

"Wait up", she yelled at the man and girl as they were going in the back door. They stood waiting on the porch. She rode her bike up to them as I came back home. About a half hour later I was out in the yard when she rode by and told me that that girl was six, but there was an older girl about her age.

"I'm going to bring my little brother over to play with the little girl and I will play with the older one."

As she rode off she said, "When the door opens you got to jump right in."

What a philosopy from a ten year old! It was a powerful reminder that one is never to old to learn, even from a child. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of time, interest and an open mind to the world at hand.

Sometimes a positive change of pace from all of the issues in this world...Save our Water, Save our VA, Save our River...is all that is needed to put things back into perspective.

This night is going to be a good one.