It is a mystery to me

I firmly believe there is so much about this life that we – people in general – do not understand, do not see, and do not believe.  And I think that kids, before they get a big dose of grown-up skepticism in them, are far more open than we adults will ever again be.

When I was little, my mom would hold her hand out flat, palm down, and say “I’m looking for my little fishy? Where’s my little fishy?”

I’d hold out my hand, palm down like hers, and reply “Here I am, mommy fishy.”  And our two little hand-fish would stay close together.

We did this many times over the years.  We probably did this as recently as five years ago, just for fun.  If I held out my hand for her today and said “Where’s mama fishy?” she’d know exactly what to do.

I hadn’t thought about it in years, until this weekend.  Jack has been talking to me with his hand, opening and closing his fingers like a little pointy mouth.  ”Jack Hand,” as he calls it, often asks for “Mommy Hand.”  The little Hand family talk and kiss and snuggle.

And then early on Monday morning, Jack Hand turned into a fishy.  A fishy looking for his mama fishy.

He did that all himself, with no prompting by me.  No suggestions, nothing.  Two hand-fish, mine and his, snuggled together like I did with my mom so many years ago.  I hadn’t thought about those hand fish in years.

Where does that stuff come from?  How do kids know this stuff?