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by Tony Chen

Jeremy over at Discovering Dad has asked for some thoughts on "what brings out the child of you?" Great topic - I've been thinking about this lately as being a dad oddly brings me both closer and farther away from remembering my own childhood and rekindling that feeling of childlike wonder and excitement. Nonetheless, it's still pretty easy to bring out that kid in me because all I have to do is go to either of two of my favorite hang-outs.

The Local Department Store
There are so many things at my local Target that remind me of the good old days of my childhood. Back then, any given day at my local department store could open up new worlds.

Those were the days when one of my primary obsessions in life was baseball cards. I'd memorize stats, protect the cards from dust/sun/little sisters, and fight off my dad for the sports section of the paper every morning. Like he checked the stock market, I checked out my players - Wade Boggs, Don Mattingly, Dwight Gooden, and Roger Clemens. Even today as I walk by the sports card section, I still smile a little inside and try my luck on a new pack of cards (though no more gum in there anymore)

Okay, this is embarrassing, but beyond baseball cards, stuffed animals, specifically Snoopy, were our toy of choice. I would go nuts if we found them. My sis and I would talk with them in the store to "find out" which one wanted to come home to live with us. With a high-pitched snoopy voice, we'd pretend we were them. "Hi, Tony! Your home sounds wonderful, but I really like it here with all my friends, I'm not ready to leave yet." These were the snoopies we didn't want or couldn't afford. But then the snoopies we adopted would say "Isn't Sissy at home? She's my cousin! I'd love to see her!" Those were the ones that we bought, brought home, and made a part of our adventures against evil bunnies and giant ants. (and yes, believe it or not, we had named one of our female snoopies "Sissy")

Maybe all this explains why I like going to Target so much. Yeah sure, maybe the parents shopping there don't seem to have the same appreciation for that high-pitched snoopy voice, but I could care less cuz Meme certainly does.

The Great Backyard
Who needs baseballs when you have mudballs? When needs a homebase against an enemy attack when you have a secret fortress in the backwoods? Ah, yes, this is the magic of that place called the great backyard. The pick-up football games, the lazy summer BBQs, the imaginary battles against the evil wheelbarrow, and the endless afternoon hours of every tag game ever conceived. The backyard was my Kingdom where I explored and ruled the day. One minute I was King Arthur, the next Tom Sawyer, and the next, Magic Johnson.

Conquering kingdoms was fun, but the backyard was also my sanctuary. On those days when school had got the best of me, I'd get on my bike and ride all over the neighborhood, leaving my angst in the dirt. And as the sun started setting, I'd race as fast as I could to our creaky old deck in the backyard. My lungs were burning and my heart was pounding, but it didn't matter. As I sat next to my bike on that deck, those sunsets seem to burst with colors invented just for my eyes to see. Time stood still and all of sudden, my problems seemed so small.

While the busy suburban road just beyond my home today ain't quite like those Appalachian Mountains, those moments help me remember that childlike sense of awe and wonder living here in God's backyard called earth. When I show my son all the ants running into their anthill or the perfect spin of falling maples seeds, both of us can say together, "Wow!" When my son and I are just hanging out in the backyard, you just never know what might happen next.


Well, it's been a packed day. the tot is down for the count. And so is the wife. I'm exhausted. I'm beat. I need some sleep. But I feel like a kid right now because tomorrow's gonna be fun.