See the Roar

"Everyone should have a kaleidoscope."

I took a big risk and brought Kate and Jack with me to the Contemporary Crafts Market in Santa Monica on Saturday. Because it's not a kid-friendly event (LOTS of delicate blown glass ornaments, LOTS of places to get lost...), I offered this to my curious and very tactile children: Behave yourself, and there will be treats at the end.

They were semi-angelic, and the artists often engaged both kids in their crafts or just in casual conversation. That's when we discovered the artist with the very tiny kaleidoscopes. Kate was mesmerized, taking a peak inside several of the little silver tubes resembling a device you might fill with a tiny message and attach to a homing pigeon.

What is it about looking at the world through fractals that is so captivating? The colors and shapes mesh and move and form patterns that we can see in nature if we just take the time to stroll through a garden or look closely at a butterfly. But nonetheless, peering into a kaleidoscope shows the world as both chaotic and symmetrical.

And at the end of the outing, satisfied that I got to peruse the aisles without incident, I was more than happy to offer the kids the chance to have or do something they wanted.

Jack's pick? "Can we go see the ocean roar?" 

Done.