Go fly a kite!

Sometimes you just have to drop what you are doing and  go flight a kite. Seriously? Yes seriously and…literally! This morning as I was finishing up the last of my breakfast my four year old grandson came into the kitchen. Looking out our back  door into the yard, he said, “Gramma, it sure is a windy day. It’s probably warm too! I think we should go fly my kite this morning.”

A kite? Hmmmm…already I had made a mental check-list of the tasks I planned to tackle after I finished drinking my coffee and no, a kite was not on the list. My list was lengthy but I knew that if I worked strategically I could get most of those things done by noon and still get my work out in. That was my plan…until I looked into those big beautiful hazel brown eyes looking up at me. With a huge smile my little Munchkin asked again, “Gramma did you hear my great idea? Why don’t we go fly my kite today?” Realizing that his question was really more of a statement, my mental list quickly began to dissolve in my mind. I knew right then that if my grandson’s wish to fly a kite was going to be fulfilled it could not wait until later in the day. We have had a run of unseasonably warm weather in the Chicago suburbs the past week which is not the norm for October. Today’s forecast was calling for rain in the afternoon before the temperatures took a plunge. So next thing I knew I was saying, “Sure sweetie. We will go fly your kite. First just let me load the dishwasher really quick .” I made haste in cleaning up the kitchen and out the door we went.

It was indeed a windy day but the temperature was surprisingly mild. I hoped the wind was not going to be too strong especially since his kite was small. We walked across the street to the huge open field we are fortunate to have access to. My little Munchkin has spent countless hours in that field playing ball and chasing friends or family. The field is a wonderful gift as it is like having a giant yard just across the street!

Getting the kite up was not difficult but it took several attempts to get the kite to remain in the air because the wind kept shifting. Finally the right wind caught it and UP UP UP it went…and it stayed up! My grandson laughed with delight as I handed him the kite string thus allowing him to control the flight. He ran as fast as his little legs would go doing all he could to keep that little kite soaring. With each nose dive the kite would take, his determination to get it back up for a longer period only grew stronger. We must have been out in that field for a good hour when suddenly a very strong gust caught the kite just right and snapped the string.

We both watched with eyes wide and mouths opened as the wind carried the kite over to the bare corn field just beyond the grassy field where we stood. With dismay, the little guy looked at me and said, “ Oh Gramma my kite! How will we get it? Will it stay out there forever?” Well since he and I were the only two out there it was obvious that you know who was about to go into the empty…but may I add somewhat MUDDY cornfield! We walked on the grassy field a bit further until I could find a level path to cross over from the grass to the already harvested cornfield. I was thankful the mud was not sloshy but it was moist enough that I knew my tennis shoes were going to need a thorough cleaning when we got back home. Finally I reached the fallen kite and scooped it up in my arms. I inwardly smiled as I surprisingly noticed it was still intact and would have the capability to soar the sky again in time. I turned and saw my little man smiling and patiently waiting for me to come back with his wonderful kite. On the way back I spotted three stray golf balls. I don’t know if I ever mentioned that my grandson collects small balls of all kinds. I knew these would find a home in his little treasure box so I scooped them up too. As I approached my grandson with his kite and three more balls for his collection he smiled big and said “Good job Gramma! Oh thank you. Here I picked these for you!” Clutched in his small hands were 5 little dandelions. The cluster of little yellow weeds could have been a bag of gold and I would not have been any more touched!

I kissed him and he gave me one of his sweet tight hugs. The wind was getting a bit nippier so I suggested we get back home and he agreed. Once we were inside he ran to tell his “very pregnant due any day” mommy of our memorable kite flying experience and the adventure of having to retrieve it. I looked at the time and decided the list from earlier could wait. I grabbed my purse and told my daughter I was going for my workout and back out the door I went.

So here I am at my day’s end. No I did not mop the tile, clean off my desk, straighten my office or do that extra load of laundry today. What I did do was make one 4 year old little boy very happy this morning. What I did for him and myself was make a deposit into our bank of cherished moments and memories. It was well worth it. Yes I am more convinced than ever that sometimes…

You just have to go fly a kite!

Kite photo credit: unsplash.com
Dandelion photo: Rosie Williams