Josiah's Shadow

Yesterday, I was swinging with Josiah in our back yard, and I was trying to show him what his shadow was. It was right in front of the swing, so he finally figured our what a "shadow" was. Here is a conversation that took place while we where still swinging...

Josiah: "I'm going to 'bam' my shadow. ("Bam" meaning, "hit")
Josiah hit the ground with his foot while still trying to swing at the same time. After trying to "bam" his shadow a second time, he slipped off his swing, and tried hard not to fall down on the ground and regain his balance!
Josiah: "Shadows are naughty."
Kelsey: (me) Anything that doesn't cooperate with you is naughty, isn't it Josiah?
Josiah: "It's going to snow tonight, and my shadow will get WET!!!!"
Kelsey: "Josiah, your shadow goes with you. Wherever you go, he goes."
Josiah: "No, I know how to get him away! I'm going to go to bed without him!"
Kelsey: (me) "You've found a way to get rid of shadow?"
Josiah: (determinedly said) YES!!

Josiah is always making me laugh about something. :)


My Shadow
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,

And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.

He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;

And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.


The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow—

Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;

For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,

And he sometimes gets so little that there’s none of him at all.


He hasn’t got a notion of how children ought to play,

And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he’s a coward you can see;

I’d think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!


One morning, very early, before the sun was up,

I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;

But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Robert Louis Stevenson