When I told my grandmother I took our youngest to the Science Center on New Year’s Eve and that I had fond memories of her taking me and my brother there many years ago, she said “Oh yeah, I remember that you both got lost and I thought you’d been kidnapped.”
I only remember two things from that visit:
- a metal ball that made your hair stick straight out when you touched it.
- a giant mechanical crab.
I do not remember being lost, and so I do not think my brother and I knew we were lost. My grandmother was always losing sight of us and fearing the worst. To her, we’d been thrown in the back of a kidnap van for 7 minutes of horrifying yet efficient torture, when really we’d just followed the ice cream truck over one block to see where all the lucky kids lived.
I do remember being lost at the beach once on her watch, and that truly was a terrible feeling. None of the buildings looked familiar and the beach was so thick with umbrellas that weren’t ours that I figured I’d die out there, sunburnt and alone. This is not the beach disappearance my grandmother remembers, of course, and her version has me taking off to the store with a friend’s mom and not bothering to tell her. I don’t even think this happened but is maybe something she saw on a sitcom once.
I did not lose my daughter at the Science Center, though I could have. It was very crowded and rowdy and the carpet on every level was littered with confetti, adding to a sticky-jelly-hands post-apocalyptic atmosphere. We crammed in as many exhibits as we could in an afternoon, but we never found the metal ball that makes your hair stand straight out when you touch it or the giant mechanical crab. The ball probably doesn’t exist anymore since delivering electrical currents to small children can be tricky, but I googled later and think I somehow missed the giant mechanical crab. Only I could miss this (also maybe my grandmother).

We had just enough time to catch a show in the planetarium on black holes. I thought it would answer all the questions I never thought to have about black holes, but instead it created more than I could have imagined. The show was like a black hole itself in that way. The narrator had a soothing voice and didn’t seem overly worried about any of it.
I had never heard the story of the waterbug who became a dragonfly, but the narrator told us and we listened. It seems there was once a colony of waterbugs who lived in a quiet pond. Once in awhile, one of the waterbugs would hang back from the colony and cling to the bottom of a lily pad and drift up to the surface only to vanish completely. The other waterbugs were curious but also worried, so one made the generous offer to come back and report what was on the other side if it happened to him. Sure enough it did happen to him, and when he got to the other side he was gobsmacked. It was a world unlike any he’d seen or could have imagined at the bottom of the pond. He was also now a dragonfly and realized he couldn’t keep his promise to go back and instead would have to wait for his waterbug friends to find their own way through.
My daughter said she nudged me to ask what happens if earth gets sucked into a black hole but saw that I had fallen asleep. Remember, the narrator had a soothing voice. So she asked later and I asked my husband and he said no one really knows what happens in a black hole, so I said I choose to believe it’s like coming out the other side of a pond.
Later my daughter opted to skip fireworks for putting pajamas on at 8pm because she is mine and I am hers. While my husband and older daughter went out in the cold and crowds at midnight, I woke to the gentle rumble of fireworks we could see clearly from our hotel room. I tried several times to wake my youngest, but she kind of snarled and drew deeper into the sheets. I watched them from my own bed and thought what a perfect year it was, really, how even all the shitty, scary moments seemed insignificant now that we had made it to the other side.
I love this! While we adults will remember the misery of this election cycle and the crowds at the science center, your daughter will remember the black holes.
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That puts things very nicely in perspective, thank you for this little New Years gift!
NOW, right?
xoxox
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💖
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❤️❤️❤️
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Great photo.
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See there you go in that last line: putting your WOTY to use already, with your Perspective and Attitude, nice work Kristen.
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Thanks for saying that. It’s easier to do while away from our regular routines and surroundings. The trick is doing it in the everyday.
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At first glance I read this blog post title as ‘Prone to wondering’ which could fit it nicely too. Thank you for your eye for the wonder in the world.
PS I’d be in bed at 8pm on New Year’s Eve too if I could! Xx
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Anything past 10pm is late night to us. Xo
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you are amazing…
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The beauty of this makes my heart swell. Crazy…but I could almost hear your voice narrating the waterbug story. Even without sound, you have such a soothing voice. Mark this as one of my favorites ❤️
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Thank you my dear, sweet Michelle ❤
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The last picture, with the fireworks and your daughter- love it! So beautiful.
I do not remember getting lost as a child (my mother is obsessively protective) but I did lose my son for a few minutes in a department store many years ago. I was totally panicked. He was hiding in the middle of a circular rack of clothes and only came out when I repeatedly called his name, probably in an ever more desperate voice. I don’t remember my reaction when he came out, probably a mix of relief and exasperation.
Happy New Year! xo Joanne
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My oldest daughter did that, hiding in the middle of clothing racks. Drove me nuts. Our youngest hides a lot too, but poorly. She also tends to wear bright colors and move around a lot. Fine by me.
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Beauty. What will she remember from this day, and how different will it be from yours?
“The narrator had a soothing voice and didn’t seem overly worried about any of it.” Love that.
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I wonder that too. Memory is such a unique and interesting thing.
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The moment I considered a movie about black holes I also considered the opportunity for an unplanned nap. Glad we were on the same wave length 😉
I lost my 6 year old daughter for about 10 minutes at the Camden Aquarium, I mention it by name because I know you will appreciate the horror of losing a 6 year old anywhere in Camden. It ranks up there in the top 3 worst experiences of my life.
Love the pic of firework and A!
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Baltimore in my grandmothers eyes was right up there with Camden. 10 minutes is forever for not knowing where your six year old is. 😳
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What a great way to spend New Year’s Eve. The photo is great. Black holes are scary; not sure I want to understand them…
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Love this 💜
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You write very well.
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This is so lovely!
Makes me want to climb in bed and watch fireworks!
But I think I’ll go down by Mr. UT and watch a movie with him by the fire!
Happy New Year!!
xo
Wendy
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Awesome story 🙂
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