This picture reminds me...

...of the perpetual, ever-present innocence of the child. This is one the newest member of my Chicago side of the family. He's three years old. Like most any three year old, he loves his toys, he loves to play, and he has his favorite family members. I'm not one of them yet because I was only around the young guy for about five days, but he gave me no trouble in those five days so he's cool with me. He has his less adorable traits, too. Like most three year olds, he will cry when he doesn't get his way. He hasn't learned how to be considerate of others in some situations. His demands can sometimes force you to put off your own intentions. That side of any person can get annoying, but with children we know it's a slow molding process in building that kind of character.

In this picture, everyone was getting ready to leave the house. I do not remember if we were all going to the same place or if we were going our separate ways, but I do know that this little guy was sitting at the bottom of the steps waiting on his grandmother to get dressed. Left to his own devices, this kid did what kids do best, entertained themselves. Toy in hand, he was able to occupy his imagination enough to where the waiting did not seem time consuming at all. His energy was happy and balanced. I thin it was the sensing of this energy that made me want to capture the moment. I grabbed my camera and asked him if I could take a picture. Immediately, he held his head up and gave me this perfect smile. He didn't force it; it was not rehearsed. That look said it all. This was kid with whom the entire world was all right. Innocence lives, thrives, and exudes from children. They lose it the older they get because we grown ups sometimes don't know how to nurture it. Hell, we lost ours years ago. This shot makes me hope that when my wife and I have children, they can look and feel like this kid did at this moment all the time.