Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 16 : Spring 2013 | Page 70

Through the Eyes of a Child
by Sandra Voisine
Professional Home Nursing

There is no doubt at this time of year; spring is coming
which means warmer weather, melting snow, and longer
hours of daylight for us to be even busier in our day to
day lives. The hustle and bustle of daily life sometimes
leaves us tired and stressed with so many things to do
but never enough time to accomplish it all! In this day of
modern technology, everything has become so fast paced
that we sometimes lose sight of the simple pleasures in
life.

Springtime has a different meaning for people who
live in northern Maine, winter is not quite done with
us but there is hope. For adults, a spring snowstorm
means more shoveling, snow-blowing or plowing, and
a difficult commute to work on slippery roads. A child
sees a wonderland of fun, watching each breath float
like a miniature cloud on a frosty morning, or trying to
catch a snowflake on the end of their tongue. The day
becomes a chance to build one more snowman or create
another snow angel. Sledding down a large hill is an
exciting adventure on a snowy day. A snow fort is another
possibility and just imagine how many snowballs can be
made with all the wet springtime snow!

In the distance, the roll of thunder and the flash
of lightening signals a storm is brewing. What an
inconvenience it would be if it caused a power outage
and ruined a dinner party with all that uncooked food
in the electric oven. The cash registers at the store will
not work without power either, making it difficult to
hurry in for that gallon of milk or loaf of bread before
going home. Maybe the rain will come down so hard it
will destroy an early planted vegetable garden with its
tender new sprouts. Or the wind may blow so hard it
will damage the newly potted flowers hanging from the
porch. A child does not think of those things. A child
sees the wonder and beauty of nature’s power in the sky.
The lightening with its brilliant flash of fire and the loud
bang and boom of the thunder in the distance as it comes
closer are a mystery to a small child. An evening without
power becomes a night of storytelling with flashlights
to dispel the darkness. Maybe if we take a moment, we
can remember those same wonders through the eyes of a
child.

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SPRING 2013

Let us not forget about the melting snow and what a mess
it makes! Water running everywhere, creating puddles
and mud that gets tracked into our homes and businesses
making more work to keep our floors and carpets clean. It
can become an inconvenience and expense to go through
the car wash more often due to the mud splatters from
daily commutes to work and home. But a child sees great
opportunity for fun. A pair of rubber boots on a small
child brings lots of joy for splashing in the puddles and
making footprints through the mud. Then back into the
water puddle to wash it all off and start again. The laughter
of a child playing outdoors is truly worth listening to.

Maybe each day, we should take a moment to enjoy
life’s simple pleasures, “stop and smell the