Gathering together...

This morning, I was keeping an eye on Olive as she roamed downstairs and I prepared breakfast.

I noticed her walk by with a bone in her mouth, then another bone, then her blanket, and finally her new froggy toy. One by one... she collected.

I finished getting down the cereal bowls and headed to the counter where I saw this on the floor of the living room.

Olive had gathered all of her treasures together, placed the blanket on top, and settled down for a nap.

And it occurred to me... I would do that if I could. I would gather my family, my puppy, my friends, my books, and perhaps a cup of coffee (!).

Pile them up, climb up on top, and nap.

Comfortably.

Knowing that all of them were safe.

Knowing that all of them were by my side.

And then, I started to think about toddlers -- how they collect things as well. It used to drive me crazy when I'd find bags and bags of stuff that my girls had collected. I'd open their closets, and there would be bags, filled with some treasures (a Polly Pocket doll, some Sesame street figurines, perhaps a small book, and some random drawings).

On playdates, they'd gather together their favorite toys and pile them up. I remember chastising them and reminding them to share -- somehow thinking that they were hoarding all the best toys so the other children couldn't play with them.

But maybe they weren't.

I think Olive just clued me in on something I should have known then.

They were just gathering together...

Keeping the most important things close at hand.