For this week’s Focus 52 project, Janice writes:

Often our eyes are so busy focused straight ahead and center, that we miss a whole lot of other things going on around us. …But how often do you look down?

I know that she is thinking about the assignment of shooting from a ground level perspective. But as I thought about what I wanted to shoot for the assignment I couldn’t help thinking of how we as adults are.

When my kids were small I would warn them to watch where they were going because the grownups don’t.

We don’t.

Okay, perhaps we do pay attention to our surroundings and watch where we are going…at our eye level. But do we ever look down? Think about that the next time you are at a mall, a park or any place where they are a lot of small human beings. Watch the people walking about and see for yourself. Usually the people will grumble about watching where they are going or inattentive parents as they bump into small ones…small ones they did not see at all because they weren’t looking down.

We rarely do look down. We often don’t even get down, grumbling about bad knees or creaky backs or getting dirty. But sometimes down on the ground is where the fun can be. At least for a small child.

Fallon is starting to crawl now. Which means that my carpets and floors have never been cleaner. She’s having a blast exploring her surroundings learning more and more as she goes.

I love this stage. So much discovery is happening. How sad it would be if I didn’t take the time to get down on the floor with her and just play…or make her crawl after me to discover more. I can get her to follow me just by holding my camera in my hand. It’s the bright red camera strap she wants, I know…probably to chew on. It’s a fun game for her. And it wears her out so she takes the best naps in the pack-n-play that I have for her.

I overheard one of her other grandmothers telling someone that now that Fallon is crawling she is going to have to set up that “playpen” to keep her confined. I couldn’t help but cringe as I stifled the urge to scream out, “You can’t put her into baby jail!“. How can she possibly play and explore in a 30 inches by 40 inches space? She can’t. Fallon knows that “playpens” are for sleeping in…like at Mi-ma’s house. She’ll scream and rage if her grandmother dares to confine her that way. And think of what she would be missing too if she did keep the baby in baby jail.

Moments like these.

I’d much rather take the time to keep the Big Top baby-proofed and (achy back and creaky knees be damned) just get down with Fallon.

Be sure to stop over at Janice’s place and see more views from a ground level perspective.