How old were you
when you stopped
chasing fireflies in the summer
or 
catching snowflakes on your tongue in winter?

Was it because 
you found better things to do
or 
had your soul been crushed
by some resounding reality,
like fearing the snap of your father’s belt
or 
learning the truth about Santa Claus?

Do you ever wish
you had that kind of wonder back
and then shake away the wish
with reminders of
your grown-up realities,
debt, loneliness,
unending responsibility?

Where or when did we lose 
our wonder
and 
how can we get it back?

Perhaps the answer
can be found 
in observing the scurrying activities of a squirrel
or
playing a game of peek-a-boo with a baby…

Isn’t our soul’s need
to be 
wonder-
filled
worth finding out?