Innocence

It was a warm evening, Nate and I camped under a tree on the side of a hill overlooking Lake Mcbride, one of my favorite places in Iowa. As we talked and ate my eyes were continually drawn to the adorable little child that was playing on the beach below us. About four and the youngest of his siblings he took delight in every little thing. Hours of fun were had throwing himself belly first into the water, of course he thought he was doing a cartwheel. I was completely distracted by this precious bundle and his wonder of the world. Then, like on cue, herds of junior highers and freshman swarmed over the hill and took over every inch of the lake. It looked like a fleet of canoes and paddle boats on the water, screams came up from girls being chased by boys holding a water snake. On the sand shyly sat the underdeveloped while the first stages of the horrible caste system that is junior high dawned on their scrawny shapes. Those of us that had been enamored with the peaceful afternoon simply tried to get out of the way as camp counselors shouted orders and over eager kids desperately tried to get someone to go out of the boat with them. I strained to find the little boy in the water now swarming with hormones. He and his older brother had taken to splashing all the older girls that were “too cool” to get their hair wet.
In that moment the magic was gone, I know I am not ready to have kids yet b/c although I get lost in the little hands and toes I know what they grow up to be and that still sends fear down my spine. Oh the horrors of junior high and the lost moments of splendor in the grass.