The Infinite Universe

We went to the Museum of Nature and Science today. We were going to meet my friend Teresa from Tulsa there, but unfortunately, she had to leave town a day early and couldn’t make it. The thing is, though, when you tell a 4 year old you are going to the museum, you better damn well go to a museum! So, off we went and had a blast. We enjoyed the big dinosaur bones and the wonderful new “Engineer It” exhibit where kids get to have hands-on experiments with everything from paper planes to rocket launchers, to styles of bridge-building, to how gears and pulleys work. (This part of the day was particularly sad without Teresa seeing as her company, um, builds things.)

But the real highlight of the day was Declan’s first movie at a theater. Given, it was only 28 minutes long, about Black Holes and lacking any normal plot… but a movie with stadium seating none the less. HE LOVED IT. He was a little overwhelmed by it, seeing as it was inside the planetarium and the galaxy was swirling all around us (at least 3 times he asked me if we were moving – and I turned my seasick green – or maybe spacesick green would be more appropriate – face to his to assure him we were not. Moving.)

He was enthralled with the colors and shapes. And I had a thought – the first serious one of it’s kind since he was born – my son could be an astronaut. He totally could. And the thought did not come from wishful thinking, because the thought of Declan hurling through spaces is nothing I’d care to watch. But more from a “my kid is so throughly special, he could do great things in his life” place. This is a place I have never gone for him. Oh, obviously I have always known how wonderful he is… I guess I never have really thought how wonderful he could be. Later. Not that I want to pressure him or would be less than happy with a more down to earth vocation. In my heart, and as his mom, my most sincere wish is for him to find his place. But I have to admit that it was a little shocking to realize his place could be doing something extraordinary.

I am also way proud to say that his first official movie in the theater was full of science and stars… and he was absolutely enthralled. He heard them talk about the big bang… and that bang had nothing to do with Chick chasing Lightning McQueen off the race track. Ca-pow!