At work, while we were on the playground, Olive and Maddie, who are both four years old, wanted to play tag with me. So I ran around with them, and was utterly fascinated and pleased to find that I wasn't getting tired at all. I guess I am getting in better shape. Yay for me!

Then as I chased Maddie, she wrapped her arms around a tree.

"Oh, is that a safe spot?" I asked.

"Yeah!" she said. Then she looked straight up and said cheerily, "Tree stars!"

"What?" I asked.

"Look," she said, and pointed straight up.

I walked over to her and stood right by the trunk of the tree, placing my hands on it, just as she was doing, and looked straight up into it. Suddenly, I saw what she saw. Through all the branches and foliage shined tiny bits of light, like little stars in a vast sky of leaves.

"Oh my god," I said, amazed at seeing something in such a different way than I ever had before. "You're the first person to ever show me that! Thanks!" I told her with sheer delight.

"You're welcome," she said casually, like it was no big deal. But to me, it felt so magical.

Tree stars. Who would have thought?

I love children.