The Recipe for a Child at Play

This past month, a local viral gremlin managed to set up residence in my home and provided me with three weeks of “unplanned” vacation time while I recovered from pneumonia.

Eventually tired of Netflix binging, shifting through piles of junk mail, and preparing taxes for 2016, I dragged myself to the basement and managed to find an unopened box from a move 10 years ago.

In that dusty box, I found treasures from old yard sales, books, and the recipe below — probably torn from an obscure cookbook long ago. As I read the recipe, I began to smile — reliving memories as a child playing dress up, making forts from old boxes, getting dirty while picking vegetables in my mother’s garden, etc.

It’s message remains relevant today, as I hope you will agree.

“Recipe for a Child at Play” – By Dorotha Conklin

Take one small child;
Mix liberally with boxes, boards, a little rope, and a pail or two;
Add a reasonable facsimile of dad’s or mother’s old hat
And a pair of Grandpa’s spectacle frames.
Throw in a couple of old scrub brushes, a cast-off necktie or two — or Mom’s old skirt,
Add a sturdy wagon if one is available.
Season each with love and understanding.
Stir in lightly with a good sense of humor.
Sprinkle liberally with dirt and water.
Turn out in a safe yard with a companion or two.
Like a good cake, this mixture takes a light hand,
A watchful eye,
But not too much prying and poking,
And little or no heat.

To children everywhere, may you learn through the art of “playing” how to dream, laugh, share.

via GIPHY