With the close of the year just days away it seems like all that I see on tv are countdowns to moments in 2008. No doubt there were many historical moments this year, but as I took Tanner out walk on the beach for the first time two days ago here in Hainana, I realized that there is a countdown of his own for the past year.


It does take a child to make us stop and take time to smell the roses. Watching Tanner's eyes fixate on opening and closing a bottle cap shows me how the little things in life are enjoyable. Watching Tanner see a live band play for the first time and stare at the band makes me realize the things we take for granted. As Tanner first stepped onto the cold sand he wasn't quite sure if he liked it or not. At first he didn't like it, but then he took another step, then another, and then sunk his foot into the sand and smiled a huge smile. Showing me while new things may seem scary, we never know if we will like it or not until we try it.

Children are inately curious by nature, but as we grow older I think we often lose this curiosity as we load our minds with more and more facts, knowledge, and get bogged down by the schedule of life. As the new year approaches, my only resolution for this year is to take time to smell the roses and look at 2009 through the eyes of a child -- with intense and pure curiosity and with that, take a few new risks and challenges.