Brighten Your Day

I once worked for nine years at the most entertaining job in the world! My position was titled "Childcare Attendant" and I "toiled away" playing with children all day at a childcare service in a large department store. The store happened to be located in a city that was headquarters for an international company which employed personnel from all parts of the world. So shopping in its aisles were mothers and fathers from Middle Eastern countries, Russian men and women, persons from African countries, people from Asian nations, and those from all sorts of European locations! And their preschool aged-children played together in our very large playroom with all sorts of games, blocks, art supplies and space to run around!

Frequently a very young child from a different land could not speak English yet, and I loved that challenge, since I was also a certified English as a Second Language teacher! But often as not, it was the other American children who were the English teachers! It never seemed to occurr to any child to notice that the other could not speak English....he or she would just go on talking as they played...and the other copied!

One day a 4 yr-old little girl from India came to play, and she did not know a word of English - yet!

Only one other child was in the room...a chatty 4 yr-old American girl who was VERY lonely there. When she saw this other child she became so excited and happy! There were two playhouses in the room, and she chattered on, suggesting to her new friend - who could not understand a word, but was also happy and excited - that they play "neighbors". So she signaled that one house was her new friend's, and then she ran to her own house.

Then they each suddenly came running out of their homes, waving their little arms and cheering, and the American child yelled, "I LOVE YOU!" to the other as her "neighbor" copied, "I LOVE YOU!" And they hugged and hugged as if they'd know each other all their lives!

I was the only one who witnessed that - and I have never forgotten it these many years later!