This painting captures our daughter at around nine years old, quietly watching the older dancers rehearse after her own class had ended. Week after week, she would stand at the doorway, completely captivated. She was in no hurry to leave. The look on her face reflected pure admiration, curiosity, and wonder. She wasn’t just watching dance steps; she was imagining what might one day be possible for her.
At the time, our Saturdays were anything but slow. We started the morning with an hour of swim lessons, followed by two hours of dance rehearsal. During the summer, there were birthday parties, playdates, and family activities squeezed into every remaining hour. Like so many working parents, I spent my weekdays in a full-time corporate career, making weekends feel especially precious.
Looking back, I’m grateful I resisted the temptation to rush through those moments. It would have been easy to hurry her into the car so we could check off the next item on our schedule. Instead, I let her linger. I let her wonder.
That simple choice became a memory I treasure today.
Children have an incredible ability to see possibility where adults often see only the clock. Their wonder reminds us that growth doesn’t always happen while we’re doing or rushing around. It often happens while we’re observing, dreaming, and quietly believing in what could be.
Cherishing Wonderment is a reminder to slow down enough to notice those moments. Sometimes the most meaningful memories aren’t found in the big milestones but in the quiet pauses between them. When we make space for wonder, we make space for dreams to take root.
