My 3 boys love playing with LEGOs. For those of you who aren't familiar with LEGOs, they are colorful, interlocking, plastic blocks. My oldest son, who's 18 now, no longer asks for LEGOs for Christmas, but I guarantee if I decided to buy him a 3000 piece LEGO Bionicle set, he'd be overjoyed! Of course my 3 and 4 year old still play with them.
It warms my heart when they come to me and show me the things they've made with their blocks. They're so proud of their creations; and I'm proud of them for being so creative. Everything Paul (my 4-year-old) makes is a Mega-something or other; a Mega car, a Mega tron, a Mega man, a Mega boat, etc. Daniel (my 3-year-old) isn't as interested in building things as Paul is, but he will make something every now and then.
I remember one day I was in the kitchen washing dishes after dinner while Paul and Daniel were in the den building with their LEGO blocks. They were playing quite nicely when suddenly I heard a terrible scream. It sounded like one of those Ring Wraiths from Lord of the Rings. It was the scream of a soul being violently wrenched from it's body as it desperately tried to hold on. It was a scream filled with anguish, hopelessness, and the darkest despair.
Find out what's happening in Woodbridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Daniel had knocked over Paul's Mega Tron.
When I ran into the room, I saw Paul's tear-filled eyes looking at Daniel with a look of complete disbelief and total accusation. "What happened?!", I said "Daniel knocked down my Mega Tron!!", Paul yelled. He then walked over to Daniel's blocks and kicked them over. The fight was on. Before I could get to them, Daniel grabbed Paul's leg and was going in for the bite. Paul has been bitten by Daniel before, so all his efforts were on deflecting the incoming assault. "Stop it!" I yelled, as I tried to break them apart. Of course, they both calmed down and I did the mommy thing with time outs and talks about being respectful of others' creations. One, of the many things, I noticed in that moment was the differences in reactions. While Paul and Daniel were going for each other's throats (as much as a 3 and 4 year old can) I was laughing hysterically. (I'm laughing now as I'm remembering the incident) The entire situation was so funny to me. The amount of passion and emotion displayed over LEGO blocks was hysterical.
Find out what's happening in Woodbridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
It was funny because I could see the bigger picture. I knew the Mega Tron wasn't really a Mega Tron (whatever that is), it was only a bunch of colorful blocks stacked atop one another. Mega Tron was an idea that Paul had created in his little mind. I knew it wasn't real. I knew it was just blocks that could be built again...maybe into an even more magnificent Mega Tron; or into something completely different and even more creative! But to Paul, the maker of this awesomeness...it was more than a bunch of colorful blocks...it was his fabulous creation...his unique idea.
Your building blocks are Awareness. Your "Mega Tron" is your self...your family...your possessions...your status...your intelligence...your ignorance...your enlightenment...your lack of enlightenment...your job...your problems...your successes...your objects... It's all made of Awareness. It's all made of You.
Keep that in mind when you (in the form of someone else) kicks and destroys an idea of yourself. Widen your perspective. From one Mega Tron to another...see the bigger picture...and smile.
Read other posts on enlightenment at ypifany.blogspot.com and anenlightenedmom.blogspot.com
