The wide-eyed wonderment of an almost 2 year old girl named Eden easily earned its place as an American Faces candidate. First, because I am her grandpa and second, because she is totally honest in her every reaction to the world around her and that soothes the soul. For me, these past months have not been easy ones. My dad passed away in August which leaves a huge hole to fill; maybe that hole really isn’t meant to be filled. I am okay with that. Maybe the wide-eyed joy as a little girl marvels at a tiny acorn that fell from a giant oak tree is what makes moving forward easier. I see unfettered smiles and an innocence in life that warms my heart. She hasn’t known heartbreak, struggle, or loss as you the reader has. She only knows love; the love of her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and a myriad of others who are wonderfully woven into her life. That wonderment in her eyes is what fuels a grandparent to sit and play with beads in a bowl by the hour, or sit down beside her and touch the newly treasured acorns from the day’s adventure.
Live today with a bit more wide-eyed wonderment. We all need it!