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
