another reminder

I just went to get ice cream with my family and I saw another reminder of how simple life really is. I chose not to have any ice cream which is unusual for me, but instead I waited for my younger cousin Jack to eat his before we embarked on a mission.

We were going to look at minerals.

Watching an intrigued nine year old walk around a mineral store showed me that life is so much simpler than we make it out to be.

Jack was talking for the entirety of the trip and it was nice to sit back and listen for awhile...

"I like this one, Tommy. Look at this! I found this in my backyard before. I told dad I want this one for my birthday. I want to get this one for both dad and grandfather. Aren't these cool, Tommy? Which do you like? There are a lot of minerals in here, aren't there? This is pretty neat. These are pen holders. This is quartz. Okay we can go now."

I stumbled along the whole way and didn't get more than a "Sure bud," out of my mouth.

Now I wonder, "Is it simplicity, is it youth, or is life simpler when we're young?"

The answer is yes it is. Life is certainly simpler when we are young. But when I was walking around that mineral store all I cared about was listening to my little cousin and being a big cousin to him. I wasn't worried about girls, school, or anything in between.

It's funny how much a little boy with Asperger's can teach you.