Avery is an old man trapped in a little boys body. I’ve said that his entire life. While he may need to be reminded to brush his teeth, he is, otherwise, an 85 year old. He moves in two modes – slow and slower; he loves to read anything you put in front of him; and he is constantly full of reason and thought. His mind never stops.

Yesterday as I was taking he and his sister to a playdate, we got behind the slowest car on the planet. It was going around 8 mph in a residental area. I didn’t feel it completely necessary to pass although I was thinking rude statements in my head. About that time, Piper said “Why is this guy going SO SLOW?” Exactly sister!

Without missing a beat, Avery started into a huge dissertation. It went something like this … “Piper (he always says her name in a tone that alludes the thought of ‘why don’t you know this stuff!’) … when people are learning to drive they have to take classes. There is Level One – Driving Slow; (pause) Level Two – Driving Medium; (pause) and Level Three – Driving Fast. He is obviously on Level One – Driving Slow.”

Piper said “Oh … ok.”

I meanwhile was trying not to die laughing. The whole time I had been scrambling thoughts about this idiot driving parade speed, Avery had been figuring out – in his best 6 year old way – why the man was driving that way.

So many times, I react in my head … and sometimes/most of the time outloud without ever stopping to consider the “why“. I’m taking that as my learning moment this week … Slow down and ask “why”.