Conversations with my Granddaughter (4)

Movement and Freedom

Hello little one,

I can see you are enjoying the freedom of movement in the beautiful walker your Mummy and Daddy has bought you. This thing you sit in that moves is similar to the bigger thing that your daddy call ‘car.’ The car that Daddy drives is powerful. It is driven by a 250 horsepower engine. Your walker has a one babypower engine- you! Big people drive their cars for specific reasons. Daddy will drive it to ‘work’, to send and pick up Mummy from ‘work,’ to take you ‘walk walk’ (to a park), and to come to Grampa’s house. Rarely big people drive their cars for no reason other than the freedom to explore.

You, little one, however now have the ability to move independently and to explore. Before that you have to work very hard to make the big people understand where you want to go. You want to go to the hall and watch the football match which is playing on the television in the hall while Mummy is holding you and reading a book. It is hard to convince Mummy that you are a Manchester United fan and want to watch the game. Now, with the walker, you have the freedom of movement. You are free to explore, to go where you want to go and see what you want to see. I know why you are wondering why the big people are hurriedly putting all their nice stuff up in the shelves beyond your reach. You only want to touch and taste them. And why your Nai Nai (paternal grandma) is fixing wooden barriers on stairs and doors. You are learning fast that the moment you have freedom, there are others who will seek to limit them. Even the people who love you will do that.

Freedom and movements are very precious things, little one. To have the ability to move on your own and to go wherever you want are privileges that many big people take for granted. You know how hard it is to just sit (to coordinate all these muscles, keep balance and pose for your Daddy’s camera) all at the same time. I guess you are used to your viewpoint changing as you slide down. It will even be tougher when you walk. Let me tell you that when you are able to walk, then you find an even bigger world to explore. You will have even more freedom than what your walker now allows you.

Even though the writer, John the Evangelist, wrote this in the Bible in a different context, Grampa finds it to be true generally. “I [Jesus] tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). So little one, enjoy your freedom of movement and movement of freedom as much as you can as I know you will.