Shadow Puppet Storyteller

Prosperity rings the doorbell

Walking the path of every celebrating child tonight, my heart takes note of all that delights a child's soul. To talk of prosperity, not all connections to this universal idea come down to monetary wealth, of course. Nothing causes a more forlorn existence than to live and forget the bounty that exists in the world to the mind of a child. Children appear to hold a purity until taught that the world is perceived otherwise. The worldly powers we have children worship shapes the older souls they may become. So tonight, in aligning to this pure scope, let us list the joys of childhood – ideas of prosperity – the qualities of divinity that sparkle and shine as treasure, but that we seem to disregard as we grow:

Beloved Presence, you are the greeter at the door -- even the timid know how to perceive your goodness and be grateful, there, in the moment; shouting with delight, "Trick or Treat." Let it all unfold perfectly, in time with the setting sun or with surprise in the darkness. Some of it may stay shielded from my sight, but as a child, I do not need to know all that now, trusting instead in invincibility.

Prosperity at child-level:

Accept what comes your way... Halloween candy, zapatos filled with papa natividad gifts, hand me downs, fields aswarm with fireflies. Catching fly balls, being the targeted recipient of a water balloon on a day of trying heat. Snow balls or ice cubes down the shirt when the rule, “anything goes” is in play.

The unexpected glance and smile of acknowledgment from the one you admire. High fives, thumbs-up encouragement, text messages, any color of bands for your retainer or braces, or choice of tooth brush color given freely from your dentist.

Kids meal menu choices, comfortably the same wherever you go. Grandma's hugs and care packages when frequent hugs become impractical. Campfire stories and dares. Collecting school fundraiser pledges, earning gold stars, new pencils, or scratch n' sniff stickers with positive interjection phrases.

Anticipating pints of milk, apples and oranges, pancakes on a Sunday afternoon. Beanie Babies, chocolate Easter rabbits and marshmallow Peeps. Semi-sweet chocolate chips from the bag before being mixed into the dough.

Trading cards, crickets, skinned knees, bruises, bloodied noses and tummy aches. Friends that like your Facebook status. Sharing the Big Gulp, large popcorn, or the cost of ride tickets at the county fair.

Spelling Bee practice and multiplication flash cards. Writing notes in code and calculating decimal places of Pi. Matching up socks from the dryer, Picking out and wrapping gifts for friends' birthday parties. How many cannonballs you can do into your friend's pool in a row. Counting out the blades of grass in the backyard. The different kinds of bugs found under one large rock. Your collection of rocks and the case to fill with Hot Wheels. The number of Pokemon to catch; the sheer amazement at the number of Lego pieces available to a Master builder. Always a new book at library storytime. Saturday morning cartoons, movie credits and minutes in soundtracks. Stairs on the mall escalator, plugs on the powerstrip behind the family room entertainment center.

Seats on a schoolbus. Water from a hose, stars in a desert campsite, ocean waves toppling you in....

Accepting these gifts at the various stages of childhood, but often unable to appreciate and show abundant gratitude until later in life, I say, "Universe," your blessings cycle around through all our recalled times and moments. For this I am grateful now. The interest on my joyful investment is paid many times over. No cares carry forward, as the recognition of its good comes from beyond anything we must remember to do. Live free like a child -- all is cared over. And so it is.