Baby Fat

The pot-belly stomach, the cheeks that droop but in a squeezable way, the scowl, worried about impending events. Where did all that baby fat disappear to? You can see the imp with the childhood intolerance for unfairness. You can see much of this man within the picture of a boy at one. While the baby fat may be gone, his mannerisms continue to invoke childhood habits.

Many people say that you can see how you looked as a child by observing your sleep patterns as an adult. The truth is he burrows and curls his body on the couch before falling asleep like a puppy finding its spot, and will sweetly wake up from a dream to share a little morsel of it (sleep talking). While the drummer boy instruments are gone, two guitars fulfill the need of music even if the tune is off. A little light dances in his eye when he admires his crafty and creative successes. While many times I want to call him an ass, I feel the need to smile softly as he reminds me of the Peter Pan I used to wait for every night to take me to Neverland.

You see, I never wanted to grow up (still trying not to). I like having fun, sleeping on the grass at the park, eating ice cream and swimming with mermaids. Every year I used to read the book Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie to fly back to Neverland with all the strange adventures with the Neverbird, the wolf and the ferocious mermaids (please, never watch the Disney version of Peter Pan). However, now that I met this Peter-like character in 2000, I only read the story to other children, so they too can be inspired to have adventures, make-believe they are eating food when they aren't, and fight each other to only make up in the same day.

Childhood stories often do teach people a lesson. However, childhood stories also teach the power of imagination and creativity. At times, I wander off to Neverland as I see him construct costumes from pillow cases and construction paper, in time for the newspaper photo shoot. He discovers so much beauty in simple objects and moments.

So while the years may be creeping up, his heart, mind and spirit will never lose their baby fat. You hear it in his laugh, the tears in his eyes when he feels like a child, and when his smile has a kiss no one can retrieve. He is my Peter Pan and I am having so many adventures, I never want to go home (only for spring cleaning).

Happy Birthday Darling.