A Simple Lesson in Relativity

Dear Daughter,

Well, today we went to the dentist to have a cavity filled, and you were super. I was very proud of you and the dentist was too.

They had to numb your gum/cheek in order to fill the cavity, and the dentist told us that you could not eat for a while for fear of biting your cheek since you could not feel it.

As we were walking to the car, you asked me how long "a while" is and I said maybe a couple of hours. Within five minutes, you asked if your tooth was "still asleep," and I said, yes, it will still be a while.

It is hard to wait when something is so strange like your cheek being numb. You were not able to make a "Puh" or "Fuh" sound and that "while" seemed like it would never come. But, eventually, the numbness will go away, but it may seem like a lot longer than it actually is.

So, today, again, you learned a lesson in the Relativity of how Time "feels" to go slower when you are waiting.

I Love You,
Papa

Taking Your Time

Dear Daughter,

This Wednesday you and Papa went to Middelheim, the outdoor sculpture "museum" with all kinds of sculptures spread throughout the park.

We went there to have a picnic lunch and it was a beautiful day. The leaves looked like they were almost on fire and the sky was super blue.

After eating lunch we walked around with Papa's camera and you took a few pictures of your own. I was so impressed with how you took your Time to really frame each picture and did such a great job.

It's important to take you time and to do something right, rather than just rush through it and miss the moment. Thank you for helping me share that slowing down of Time as you took these pictures, being so careful to "get it right."

Not too shabby for a six-year old...

I Love You,
Papa

Viewing Time and Space Through the Looking Glass

Dear Daughter,

Papa came back from his short trip to London and brought you some booty from across the Channel. We checked them out last evening and already put them to use.

I had forgotten that I did not have stuff for your lunch for school, so we had to walk over to the store to get things, so, we got to use your new Compass to help figure out which direction we were going.

And, you were able to use your new Magnifying Glass to read the letters indicating that we were going SE or SouthEast.

And, then, after making a card for your friend and looking at the other things Papa brought back from London, I told you that it was Time to go to bed, and showed you on your Pocket Watch, (since you can never keep your hands of Papa's fancy pocket watch) so you can now begin to tell Time as well, which you also looked at with your Magnifying Glass.

I hope you enjoy learning all about Time and Space with these things and as you already do, to look closer at the world around you.

I Love You,
Papa

Making Space

Dear Daughter,

Big day for you!

Your first loose tooth. Well, soon the baby teeth will begin to come out and you will start to get new ones growing in.

You said that you did not like it that you will loose the teeth, but I told you that in order to get your big girl teeth you need to loose the baby teeth. Because, remember that you cannot have two teeth in the same Space at the same Time.

To that you shrugged your shoulders and sighed, "yes, Papa, I guess you're right..."

So, time to begin making room for new things by getting rid of the old.

I Love You,

Papa

Winding Down

The big Papa-Buglette vacation is drawing to a close, and it is Time to start winding up our visit and winding down our energies before the long flight back to Belgium. You were getting tired and thinking about friends and family back in Antwerp, so it is indeed Time. Soon you will see those friends and family again, but with the many, many new memories of all the places we saw and people we shared these memories with along the way. Though we will not be bringing back many more physical objects, you have a treasure trove of new memories to cherish.