To: You – From: Dad – Re: Thank you

I just wanted to thank you again. Yesterday we walked all the way out to the lake, you were insistent on seeing the ducks even though we had no bread to throw their way. You rode my shoulders from the playground, past the tennis courts, and then when we got to that spot on the trail that overlooks the lake a crane flew overhead and perched itself on a faraway tree branch. You stared at it for a while, but then made those usual wiggly maneuvers to get back on your own feet again.

Clutching my fingers, we headed down to the side of the lake where you instantly discovered new and interesting rocks that you'd never touched before. You set about rectifying that situation, chucking a few into the lake when the mood struck you to do so. Walkers and joggers passed us by, but you were focused on your work and left me to so the "polite social" thing. You managed to trick an assortment of ducks and geese to swim up close because they couldn't tell from far away that you weren't throwing anything edible, they had to come in closer to investigate.

But I want to thank you again for not crying and pitching a fit when I told you it was time to go. I say "again" because I thanked you as we walked back past the playground; I told you that I appreciated you cutting me slack and promised we'd come back another day. You put up some resistance to leaving, don't get me wrong. You fought and tussled with me all the way back up the hill, but then I pointed out some acorns and all of a sudden everything was forgotten about leaving the ducks and the lake and the rocks. All of a sudden acorns were diamonds, spilling out from your hands because you couldn't find enough room for just one more.