Sitting in the family room at what should be bedtime, as my 3-year-old (who took a much needed yet dreaded afternoon nap,) lounges in his comfy chair, mesmerized by video of a seemingly endless journeys of steam trains.
Purposeful Fixation
He is fascinated by most things train. The infamous chug and choo, the billows of smoke and steam, the ding of the bells, and call of the whistle, (which I once learned, is unique to each conductor and often called a conductor’s call,) the flashing of lights on the track, the stopping, and the going. On occasion, even derailment sparks his curious nature.
After spending countless hours watching my living room transform into a “huge train city,” with the addition of track, buildings, bridges and of course trains galore, I too have come to appreciate most things train.
For one, within a train city (at least the ones built by my budding architects,) there are many avenues to reach one’s desired destinations. Whether it be a straight commute, or one filled with curves round mountains and bridges over water, all ways are intertwined. Also, the more stops made along the way, the better. Time is rarely of any concern but rather the focus is placed upon successfully chugging up the hill to avoid derailment with one’s precious cargo.
Spinning in circles at the round house is a major highlight, and best of all is the well-known truth that even if a train experiences derailment it is merely treated as an opportunity. An opportunity to reconfigure to realign and keep chugging along to chosen destinations.
May your life be a “huge train city,” with a conductor’s call all your own.
