Summer begins....

I love the sounds of summer...especially the sound of a little one knocking on the door asking if Izaak can come out and play. This means I have to go outside too, so I follow armed with a good book. This time it's about a young girl who grew up in the rubber capital of the world (Akron)..I'll let you know if it's any good.
As I read, without looking up I can hear the kids their laughter, you can just hear the fears and pressures from life melt away as they get further into what ever game their imagination takes them. Right now they are a family of dogs all barking uncontrollably. It keeps pulling me from my book, but I don't want to look up and invade, so with my head turned down I just continue to listen.
Our one neighbor spends most of her time with her grandparents that live behind us, her father just got released from prison, she was born very premature, she is older than Izaak by two years and he just towers over her...her eyes are continually crossed, but in her frailty physically she makes up in spunk, her zeal for life is contagious. She has two younger siblings that run around outside as well sometimes hours on end without anyone checking on them( that's why I stay outside).
The other neighbor boy is in middle school, his house is in disarray, his lawn is always about 6 weeks behind being mowed and their dog is always tied out back. I've lived here over three years and I have maybe seen his parents once. When he has friends over he can be a bully and cruel to the little kids.
Then you have my Izaak, who has had so much one on one attention, that he now thinks this is normal and comes to expect it, not appreciating the effort I put forth.
He loves to play, and will play with absolutely anyone!
As I sit and listen to these three kids play I realize they all come from different places and will most likely end up at different places, but right now there here together and nothing separates them. They are alike....all I hear is joy, unreserved unabashed joy and it warms my heart.
I still don't dare look up and intrude on these moments, but I'm glad I got to partake in them if only for a few moments...