Seeing Through the Child's Eye

"Her Caterpillar Summer" Parents magazine

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This published version of "Her Caterpillar Summer", Cormier tells of the summer when his daughter turned six, of her caterpillar state. He talks of her awkward movements, her dwindling number of teeth, and her sudden fear of the water. Yet, he sees all of this as a beautiful time of playfulness and of as-yet-unaware future potential.

"Her Caterpillar Summer" typescript

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In the typescript of "Her Caterpillar Summer", Cormier tells of the summer when his daughter turned six, where she is still a caterpillar waiting to become a butterfly. He talks of her awkward movements, her dwindling number of teeth, and her sudden fear of the water. He cannot express with words his support for his daughter and she does not yet realize the weight of the changes that will come. This typescript features several crossings-out and handwritten additions.

"Holding To What Is Magic" John Fitch IV Column

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This John Fitch IV article is one of a few in which Cormier talks about magic and dad jokes. Here, as in other pieces, he links magic and the belief in magic to the innocence of childhood. When he teaches his daughter a trick, he is sad for the lost magic and thinks forward to all the other things that will lose their magic as she grows.

"A Purple Lollipop In Hand" John Fitch IV Column

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In this John Fitch IV column Cormier talks about visiting various places with his daughter. Their divergent observations, preferences, and feelings about the stops - libraries, cemeteries, ponds, etc. - again reveal her innocence and his age. He recognizes the opportunities children provide to their parents by giving them access to places and excursions that would appear bizarre for an adult to frequent alone.

"Love, The Fantom" John Fitch IV Column

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In this John Fitch IV column Cormier shares a time when he saw a large, strong man and his very young daughter. The man said that the girl was his "guardian". Cormier considers that idea here - unpacking what it means to view your children as your guardians: "They guard us from selfishness, from the emptiness of boredom, from the terror of loneliness." He then includes a scene where his daughter's playfulness brightens a dreary day.

"That Quiet Agony" John Fitch IV Column

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In this piece, Cormier considers three states - loneliness, shyness, and boredom - and the role they play in our lives. While loneliness has gotten more popular attention, boredom and shyness rarely appear in popular music or receive recognition as social diseases that affect all ages rather than personal dilemmas of the young.

"Making Her Own Rainbow" John Fitch IV Column

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In this column Cormier shares a sweet story about his daughter trying to make a rainbow using sunlight and water. He hopes that she will see a real rainbow one day. He closes with a story of three children and their father whose truck got stuck in the sand. The children's humorous prayers remind Cormier of the delight children bring to the world.

RELATED LINKS:

9 Reasons Why You Should View the World Through A Child's Eyes In this article by Allison Renner, on Wall Street Insanity/Living, Motivation (2014 March 21), the author echoes the childhood-loving themes that Cormier writes about.

Seeing Through the Child's Eye