Right of Passage...

I did something magical with the boys the other day.  We were loading the car full of groceries at Costco and we heard the familiar, adrenaline-inducing sound (for a little boy) that is a train.  The train tracks are just south of Costco and those boys moved faster than lightning to "lock and load" into their car seats to watch the train pass and request a "Honk Honk".  

I drove the car and parked facing the tracks and there the train stopped and the conductor exited.  {It should be noted that train conductors do NOT wear the typical striped overalls that one might envision.  I might recover from that realization, but then again, I might not.}  

Anyway, he saw me, my car full of little boys with smiles plastered all over their faces and tiny limbs hanging out the windows with waves and honk signals, and he generously came over to the car to explain he would be a few minutes as he was grabbing his lunch.  

{Who knew you could just park your train and head on in for takeout?  This whole thing is just incredibly insightful, yeah?} 

I asked him if we could put pennies on the tracks to get "shmooshed" while we waited for him.  OK, I really asked him, "Will the department of Treasury come hunt me down if I shmoosh pennies on the tracks or is that still legal?  Or was it ever legal?"  He laughed and gave me the green light.  So disclaimer, if it is indeed illegal, the actual train conductor did not know that... or he had total disregard for such silly little things like laws.  And I'm a lemming.

One by one I unloaded each excited little bundle of energy and gave them a handful of coppery colored pennies to be placed thoughtfully on the tracks.  I explained what would happen, and I'm tellin' you, You could FEEL their anticipation.  

It was SO much fun to watch them.  Probably, in large part, because I myself remember climbing on top of the haystack at Grandpa's farm and then seeing the train coming in the distance which required an Olympic decent and subsequent race to the tracks to strategically place my own pocket full of pennies.  I loved seeing the pennies' imprints on the track after the train had passed and looking at the surrounding gravel between the old railroad ties to find my flattened prize.  I loved feeling the heat the massive, thundering train produced on my hot little discs.  I adored seeing the different shaped ovals and circles the train created out of my tiny round coins.  And there is something about the thrill of standing where just moments ago, you could not have been standing.

And isn't there something "Circle of Life-ish" about doing a long forgotten something awesome from your childhood with your own kids?  It's like, all this time, tucked deep into that gray matter of your brain, that was something that really meant a lot and you didn't even remember how much until you relive it thanks to those little bundles that are yours.  It kind of rocks my socks off.

Dax asked me if I wanted to make a "mecklace" out of his smooth discs.  Not a bad idea, really.  A good luck charm for this mama.  Kaelster shoved them deep into his pockets and told me he was going to show his buddy and Daddy as soon as we got home.  Acey tried to eat them.

So... you know, two outta three ain't bad?