Different worlds

We are shaped by so many things: family, friends, experiences, beliefs, culture, climate and even language. Much of this molding becomes so indelibly etched in our making that it affects who we are, how we see the world, how we act and think. I realized after my last post that Ivan will have a totally different field of learning than me, because of many factors, one of which is growing up in Texas instead of in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Ivan will not know...
-that while the unexplainably enticing frost on the pipe looks tasty, it's not and it's dangerous
-what northern lights or sun dogs are
-how to walk on ice
-the sound of skates cutting ice
-the proper usage of "eh?"
-what a perogie or poutine are
-the ease of free medical services
-bilingual cereal boxes
-what a bunny hug is
-how to make a good snow man and snow ball
-what a "face wash" is
-what a toque, long underwear or ski-do suit are
-how to drive in a snow blizzard
-colored money, including twonies and loonies
-how to play spoons and that bagpipes can make cool music
-that tea is hot, that a tobogan is a sled and the letter "z" is called zed

Ivan will know...
-that stickers are not put in albums, they grow in the grass and prick your feet
-how to open pecans at age 3 without any special device
-not to swim in unknown lakes or walk in tall grasses, due to snakes
-that peppers are not just colors (green, red, yellow), but are their own food group. The smaller the deadlier.
-that fried foods are a food group and everything can be fried (heard of fried pickles?)
-that you don't go to the park June-Aug without burning your butt and hands, even the sand is hot
-what a swamp cooler is
-the sound of crickets and other mysterious criters in trees that I have yet to identify
-mexican foods: flautas, queso, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos...
-what a wet back is (not a nice term BTW)
-how okra grows (tastes great fried)
-how to use mesquite wood on a grill
-not to play with ants
-that air (ie. air conditioning) is a necessity
-tejano music and that arcordians can make cool music
-that tea is iced cold, that a tobogan is a hat (I can barely even type that, it's so against my thinking) and the letter "z" is called zee

I could go on and on... (and maybe I will in another post), but it just struck me how different our growing ups may be. On one of our first drives back to Canada, we entered North Dakota and suddenly everything started to feel "right", but I couldn't place what had changed until Brian said that the light was different. That was it! Somehow the placement of the sun in the sky at that time of day, during that time of year was programed into my brain as being the way things SHOULD be. Add to that smells, temperature, sights, sounds, accents... It's amazing all the things we learn just by living in a place.

Can you imagine what it is like for Ivan who is learning EVERYTHING? He stops at every sound trying to figure out the source. He touches everything to know it's feel, it's texture, it's dimension and properties. He tastes everything. And the joy! He laughs from the time he wakes up to when he goes to sleep as he discovers all things new. (Apparently newness is hillarious). It has become a game of ours to do something new for the instant reward of Ivan's laugh. I can stick something on my head- he laughs. Make a face- he laughs. Walk different, talk different, go somewhere new or unexpected- beautiful laughter. Instead of thinking things have to be the way I've always known it, I wish we could keep our delight in newness, our ability to think outside the box and explore new realms. This may be our greatest challenge as we 'grow up"- to accept, to love, to learn and to live like a child, constantly taking delight in the richness of life, trusting, exploring and discovering new depths to life and relationships.