It is funny what conversations can do.
The way they can leave you and change a mood, outlook, or feeling in just an instant.
The other day I talked to a small boy who was in 2nd grade.
He was a chatty little man. While his mom shopped he started off a conversation with me all his own about the Lego set he had just gotten.
As conversations go, dipping and weaving, this one wound its way to talk about the two most prominent thing on his mind: His love of reading.
I was told by this chubby, sweet, goofy little child that he would much rather read his baskets full of books than watch TV. That sometimes his mom had to tell him "no" when he asked to go to Barnes & Noble.
I can say there are few times I have been more surprised.
Few moments I have wanted to hug random 2nd graders for "restoring faith in humanity".
The other thing to note that came up in our discussion was what he wanted to be when he grew up: He wants to be Train Engineer.
As he said, because he'll get to see the world and shovel coal.
This reminded me of how kids think. How nothing is out of reach, nothing is "undreamable, if you will. And something strenuous and back breaking like shoveling coal for a living is just a fun advantage to the job.
I don't know where we lose this attitude. I know we cast it aside as youthful innocence, I know we laugh and say "isn't that the cutest thing".
But maybe it isn't.
Maybe that's not it at all.
As much as we think about recapturing childhood, and I do believe it is more than we realize, maybe we should take a more childhood approach to work, dreams, and shoot, even life.
Those are just a few things I learned this week from a 2nd grader.
It helped me remembered why writing is important and what I want to do when I grow up.