Artistry

Walking down a nature trail with my daughter
I lose track of how many times
She leaves my side to explore her surroundings

So many wonderful flowers to adore
Precious pine cones and rocks to adopt
And bunches of leaves and grass blades to harvest
For her imaginary farmer's market
Her camp site kitchen
Her ice cream parlor

I notice she's left my side again
I turn around in time to see her
Plopped down on her knees
Doodling in a sandy spot
In the middle of our path

I'd rather we get back to the car to go home
But I'm struck still by her creative focus
As she draws intently on the ground
Like Jesus drawing in the sand before the teachers of the law
Like a masterful sand artist on a TV talent show
Like me when I was a kid playing in my schoolyard sandbox...

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she says
With a puzzled look that tells me
I'm acting really weird right now
In my sentimental reverie

"Uhhh, because I love you"

She says simply that she loves me, too
Then she goes back to her doodling

I decide to wait patiently
In the grass beside this quiet path
Enframed by tall green maple trees
With rays of golden sun
Trickling warmly through summer branches
Onto my daughter's copper brown hair
And her frilly yellow sundress

This moment makes me wish sincerely

That I had not forgotten my camera today

Yet I know that no technology
Could ever adequately capture
The blissful artistry of this moment...