There is something magical about a clear night sky, filled with stars. On a big sports field, you look up and it feels almost enchanted. Suddenly, you hear the excited cheers of a child. Straight ahead, your eyes catch a father and daughter playing a game of Tag. The mother watches them with complete affection.
The daughter is about 9 years old. The parents don’t look very old, probably in their late 20s or early 30s. They seem to be a portrait of the perfect, happy family. It is the child’s unadulterated laughter that does it. Its innocence is breathtaking. And you find yourself smiling.
The father is mischievous. He doesn’t make it easy for her to catch him. She is small and that’s why she must learn. Nothing in life is easy. Not even a simple game of Tag. But why not have a little fun while you’re at it? While you struggle to get there? And so, he makes all sorts of funny noises and flails about comically. The girl can’t stop giggling, which is soon followed by a fit of laughter. She screams that if she laughs anymore she might throw up her dinner! And her father screams back, “So what? Who is going to see you in the dark, in a field?!”
She is stunned! She isn’t used to such unashamed display of weaknesses. There is a quick moment when she thinks he doesn’t really mean it. He couldn’t! Who would want to throw up in public? But she sees the twinkle in his eyes and she knows that even if she does, he will be there, holding up her hair, helping her through it.
All of this transpires in mere moments. They get back to their extremely important and competitive game of Tag, running around, zigzagging across the field, with not a care in the world. For all you know, it could have been only the three of them there, on that field.
And you ask yourself, but weren’t they though?
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