page 2 / 6

Through My Eyes

Just one moment of awe in childhood can direct us toward a lifetime of creative adventure and discovery. At the age of five, Albert Einstein had such a moment when he received a small, magnetic compass as a gift from his father. His was an immediate affinity, an emotional connection followed by a lifetime of curiosity and persistence to explore the hidden mysteries and vast equations of the world of physics.

Early in their lives, both our sons had such moments of awe, inspiring lifelong passions. At the age of four, Kit received a little drum set from Santa. (In our home, the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning are from family members. But the one most-coveted package on the hearth is all Santa's doing.) When the wrapping paper came off, the world of music was unleashed -- and became a life's joy. The piano, later introduced by Mom, did not create the same spark. Drums are what intrigued him and kept him motivated to learn and to experiment, to imagine and to dream.

Throughout Kit's school years he embraced every opportunity to expand his grasp of percussion instruments. The drum line availed the cymbals, snare drum and the tenors (an exceedingly heavy set of five connected drums supported at the chest by a harness). Band provided the tiniest triangle to the impressive copper timpani, and the jazz band challenged him on the full drum set. He founded several of his own bands and segued in his college years into music theory, composing and recording engineering. All from one Christmas moment of awe.

A different passion engulfed Gabe's life, also prompted by a singular event in his youth. I had recently sung on the soundtrack to the movie "Glory" and excitedly ushered my family into an early screening. Gabe was eleven. A passion immediately swept over him for the Civil War. His weekly allowance, once devoted to toys and goodies, was saved up so that he could afford one Civil War era bullet or uniform button from a nearby antiques mall. He would hold these objects in trembling hands as they transported his imagination to another world. When our family visited Boston and the monument to Robert Shaw and his 54th Regiment, I choked back tears as I watched my son stand before it in absolute reverence.

His interest in history burgeoned into work for the History Channel and a fascination for civilizations far more ancient than his country's. This curiosity inspired a profound love and respect for ancient Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Byzantine antiquities which spawned his company, AncientResource.com, and his buying and selling of authentic coins and artifacts acquired from old collections around the world. His greatest joy is sharing his enthusiasm with anyone who will listen, perhaps inspiring their moment of awe.

Children, if left unharnessed, pursue goals with excitement and imagination. Life becomes a constant adventure. Anything is possible. Very young children live in the moment and have no sense of feeling hurried or stressed as they explore the world around them. Adopting these same philosophies can enrich our adult lives with greater meaning and enjoyment. We can translate child-like wonder into dreams that will carry us through the rest of our lives.

Whether our dreams inspire a life's calling or a call to life, they excite us and open our hearts and minds to vast horizons of joy and creative potential.