Thursday, October 20, 2022

Fun Childhood Memories: An Angel Message


Shivering at the County Farmers' Market on Wednesday morning, grey skies and blustery winds caused a chill in our sales as Elliot and I hurried from booth-to-booth to buy fresh vegetables. The 50-degree temperature brought back fond memories of brisk winters in Alaska. I realized how much I miss the seasons, and found the cold air invigorating, shaking me awake as I stopped to examine a mason jar, filled with colorful antique marbles.
 
Marbles played a big hand in my childhood. After our dental checkups, Mom treated my two younger brothers and me to a toy at the 5 & 10 store.  Marbles were always my favorite.  I loved looking at the clear glass colors of the purees or cat's eyes.  The opaque agates didn't spark my imagination as much.    
 
Now whenever I see marbles, I smile, reminded of  simple childhood joys.  A signal to make time to have fun and play.

Several years ago, a holiday catalog sported a circular solitaire game of hand-blown glass marbles.  The large marbles resembled a host of planets circling the earth.  My childhood eyes glistened as I placed the order in time for Christmas.  
 
Hei-Hei, our playful cat, knows intuitively not to rock the marbles on the glass coffee table.
 
 
This week another childhood toy took me by surprise.  A 1956 Captain Kangaroo show popped up on my youtube feed.  Just for fun, I curiously watched for a minute, as I'd been a fan many years ago.  
 
What a surprise to see old furry Zippy getting a special intro from the Captain himself! 

 
What were the chances?! I laughed.  I didn't remember  Zippy was on the show.  But there he was. Had he been my inspiration to ask Santa for the chimp that year?
 
Afterwards, I dug out my old lovable Zippy, tucked away in an old box in the closet.  The last remnant of a gift from Santa at age five.  Threadbare, with almost no fur, Zippy still has the little red heart I stitched on his chest as a child.
 
As you can see, he still exudes love and tender affection, the innocence and wonder of childhood.

 
 
I'm not sure why these old memories are coming to mind; perhaps a sign to trust and enjoy each day with the heart of a child.   The angels encourage us to be childlike and find joy in the simple things that come our way each day.   As the saying goes, it's never too late to have a second childhood.
 
Love and peace,


Rae Karen