"Children"

There are different stages of life that are intriguing. I have had two different ones on my mind recently so this is this first of a kind of two part series.

Children are one of life's most amazing gifts. Children can get this biggest reaction out of you. They can bring you to the brink of frustration, they can make you angry or shocked beyond belief, or they can bring the single most happiness in your life to the point where they can make you cry.

Remember when you were a kid? Everything was new and interesting and meant to be explored. Riding your bike gave you freedom. You felt like you could go anywhere and do anything that your legs would carry you to. Running around your house was fun, you always wanted to go in the attic that your parents wouldn't let you go in and you wondered what in the heck was up there. Playing with your best friend every day, especially during the summer was what you looked forward to. The world basically was full of endless possibilities and anything you wanted to explore you did. The minds of kids are great because imagination truly is still the key.

Also there is a genuineness that comes from children. Since I moved out to Vegas I have had lots of emails and calls from my friends who miss me. They all touch and warm my heart and I miss you all. But the call that touched me the most came from my niece Rachel. One afternoon my phone rang and it was my niece and she said hi. I said hello baby how are you? She said well. And we talked for about 10 minutes. She started off just saying I wanted you to know that I miss you and love you and I think about you. It took my breath away. It was everything I could do not to cry. Adults will sometime call because it's the right thing to do but when a child takes the time to call you and let you know they miss you and think of you, that is truly genuine and it meant the world to me at that moment.

I have never known how someone could hurt a child. I may not be a parent yet, but between my nieces, nephews, and my friends' children I can do nothing but love and value them. On my worst day my niece has made me smile. When you forget the simple things in life you can watch kids in the park playing with sticks and pine cones and being completely entertained and it will make you remember to be thankful. When you want to know what you're here for you can look at a child and remember "To make this world a better place for them."

In an interview with Jamie Fox right after he won his Oscar someone asked him what was the greatest moment of the evening? His 11 year old daughter was his date for the Oscars. He said when they read the nominees for the Best Actor his daughter took his hand and when he looked at her she said, "Remember that statue doesn't make you, whether or not you win this, you are a great actor." And that he said was the greatest moment of his evening. And that powerful statement didn't come from a fellow actor, friend or even an adult; it came from the mouth of a child.

Children are our past, because we once were them. They are our future, because one day they will be us. And they are our legacy, because how we teach them to be and the heritage that we pass on to them will continue for generations.