Imagination

I had the privilege of enjoying the life of a Stay-At-Home-Mom (SAHM) again starting from Wednesday last week. It is study week before my first exam paper this coming Friday. This short-live privilege had brought much joy to me thus far, and was a great stress reliever at times when I couldn't retain much of my revision materials.

Now, what makes this temporary SAHM status (versus being a full time home maker previously) more enjoyable is the munchkins' current development. Their ability to converse makes it challenging yet funfilled to spend time with them. And to top it up, their wild imagination, ability to infer and assume or whatever you want to call it, will either make you laugh or drive you insane.

Last Wednesday, when it was bedtime, the girls wanted to bring their favourite story books to their room, and I agreed. En picked ‘Sharks – Big Bigger Biggest’ while Xuan chose ‘The Three Billy-Goats Gruff’. After lights off, Xuan continue to “read” the book in the dark, and here’s how the conversation among the 3 of us went:

Mom: Xuan, put away the book. Nobody reads in the dark. You’ll spoil your eyes.

En: Mommy, cannot read in the dark, right? You’ll spoil your eyes.

Mom: Yes, you’re right. Xuan, you hear me? (Xuan ignored my request and continue reading.)

En: Xuan, cannot read in the dark! You’ll spoil your eyes!!! Like Lao Ma! (referring to my grandma who is also the munchkins’ great grandmother. She is visually impaired for the past decade.)

Xuan: Lao Ma is blind! Her eyes spoil. (Err... She seemed to respond to her sister better???)

Mom: Do you know who Lao Ma is? (I really wondered because they only get to meet great-grandma 3 to 4 times a year.)

En: Lao Ma took photo with Natasha at Da Yee’s house. (Okie, she got that right since she remembered the photo I took with my mobile phone).

Mom: Do you know why Lao Ma is blind?

En: Lao Ma read books in the dark when she is a baby, so her eyes spoil. A lot of blood come out!!! Then Lao Ma become blind…

I was totally speechless at the absurdness of the story, yet pretty amused by En’s imagination. The best part was - Xuan quickly put her book away and declared she is not going to read in the dark anymore. I had En to thank for that.

Just yesterday, Xuan decided to “make a call” using her toy mobile phone and ask me to greet the recipient (whom she decided would be my dad).

Xuan: Mommy, say “Hello, Gong Gong!”

Mom: Hello, Gong Gong!

Xuan: Okie, good.

Mom: Hello, Nai Nai! (I added a new "character" to the teleconversation.)

Xuan (protesting): No, not Nai Nai. Gong Gong is not with Nai Nai.

Mom: Why not? Perhaps they went shopping for toys together?

Xuan: No, Nai Nai go shopping with Ye Ye, not Gong Gong. Gong Gong go shopping on his own.

Mom: ??????

Sometimes, I wonder what goes though the tiny brains of my little ones. Do they speak more from their hearts or minds? What causes their logical thinking or wild imaginations? Have I, in any way, limited their ability to imagine beyond the impossible? I certainly hope not.

As I pondered these questions, I concluded that as certain as the sun rises from the east every morning, the beauty of life is not in knowing the who, what, when, where, why and how… It is in appreciating the who, what, when, where, why and how. I hope my children will embrace this beauty, and that I will demonstrate this virtue in my parenting journey.

Dear Lord, may you continue to bless my children and help me to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” –Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV). Amen.