Land of Imagination

The Parakeet is so lucky.  She watches Little O see things for the first time, struggle, give up, try again, give up, imagine, create, build and play.
In just the past two days, she’s watched him tape construction paper to a hat and create a contraption that would drop snacks into his hand when he demanded them.  He called her into his room to watch the “show” he would perform in the dark, twisting jumping and rolling on his bed.  He stepped into a cardboard box and became a robot that refused to walk up stairs. 
He also has said a few things that made her cringe.  She hears the worst of herself hurled back in a yell or scream with clenched fists.  She is frustrated with him, but also sad because she knows he learned those behaviors from his parents. 
Today, though, she heard the good.
He played alone with a few matchbox cars while she worked at the computer, but she could hear him speaking for both of his toys in the background.
“Oh, I just cant make it up this track”
“Yes you can”
“No I cant. Nevermind. I’m not going to do it”
” We don’t talk like that here.  We say ‘I can'”
“What?”
“You say ‘I can get up that hill’ and then you do it”
“Oh. OK.”
Then, that little car in his little story drove up the track.
The Parakeet felt warm in her guts.  She knew they had this conversation many times and was so happy to see him translating it to his toys unaware she was listening.

In truth, he gave her strength. When a scary but exciting request came her way today – she decided, “I can do it”. And she will.