Yesterday was just another day in the endless parade of trips to the park that is my life these days. And another time that my kid continues to blow my mind.

I’m on a mom-friend date, hanging out in the shade with the babies. Tycho’s the only big kid in our group, but that’s okay. It’s a park we don’t visit regularly, and it was new and exciting and he was off doing his thing. And as he does he offers his hot wheels to some other little boys to play with. And for another hour maybe the three of them are playing “hospital” and “house” and probably other things I didn’t pick up on. Like they’d known each other for always.

He does this often. Not every time we go out, but often. He walks right up to a stranger and says “hey, will you play with me?” Just like that. And they do. And it gets me every time.

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself shy, but as a kid I was always painfully self-aware of how others might be seeing me. I had an overactive sense of embarrassment. I would rather die than casually introduce myself to a stranger at the park, not to mention two other kids who already knew each other. And I watch Tycho do it time after time and it never ceases to amaze me.

I thought maybe he got it from Kyle, since (if he feels like it) Kyle can be the most gregarious, charming guy in the room, but I asked, and no. He was like me. So where did this amazing kid come from?