Electric Monsters

We have been walking the same path, to and from school and to and from the park for almost six months now.  This was the first morning the Electric Monster living on the path was brought to my attention.  Hudson was lagging behind on our morning walk to school, when he calls out, "Hey, mom, is this where the Electric Monster lives?"  I turn to see him pointing at one of the transformer boxes along the trial.  I laugh and tell him no, that it just holds electricity.
Then I tell him to come catch up.  He resits being rushed and persists with his query, "Mom, come look, he (the monster) is here on the box."  "Can't stop," I say as I keep on walking.  Then I see another box ahead and tell him I will look at the next box.  That gets him, and he comes running to catch up.
He runs ahead and points to the box, "See mom, there is the Electric Monster." I am hardly paying attention and just glance at the warning label on the box.  I tell him it is just a sticker warning people not to play with the box.  He says, "Well then why does it have a monster face?"
So I finally stop, look closer, and sure enough the picture on the warning label is an big blob of electricity with a monster face reaching out and shocking a person.  To a distracted grown up, it is just a warning label. To a curious and inquisitive four year old, it is a picture of the monster who lives in that box.

This morning I got one of those moments where I actually got to enter into their world, see things like they see it, instead of reaching down and trying to get them to see things my way.  Those moments are both fleeting, rare and Cherishable.  Yet another good reminder to stop and smell the roses?  Or maybe I shoud say, stop and see the Electric Monsters.