It was a modern miracle ~ March 24, 1991

by David Heiller

Malika and Laura at play!

It was a modern miracle.

It happened Saturday.

I didn’t know a Saturday could start that way.

My daughter and her friend got up early to play.

And that’s what the two girls did all day.

First they played Monopoly.

They counted out the money,

And didn’t get sore like when I lose to my honey.

They sat in the living room and shook the dice,

And laughed at Chance, thought Boardwalk was nice.

Laura played Yahtzee and she beat us bad,

Me and my honey, but we didn’t get mad.

We looked at each other,

and whispered secretly,

“I can’t believe they’re not watching TV.”

Next came the Barbies.

I thought it was great.

Though I couldn’t follow much because I’m not eight.

They scolded and folded their dolls and dresses.

I could just picture the upstairs messes.

Kids and mud and water.

But I do remember what Laura said to me:

“Hey, we haven’t watched any TV

Today,” she said, and her grin was wide.

And her voice held a bit of child-sized pride.

I just nodded, but I was proud too.

No TV is not easy to do.

No cartoons to hypnotize them,

No commercials. (I despise them!)

No lying on the couch all morning

Till they get the boot with an angry warning:

“You kids don’t know how to play!”

Or some dumb thing like that I’ll say.

Old fogies seem to think that’s true

Sometimes I worry about it too.

But take two friends, and with a little luck

And a mid-March day and mud and muck

And dolls and dresses and before you’re through

You’ll see a modern miracle too.