On Being Five

On August 19, Jon stayed home from pre-school with Mommy.

They ate breakfast and played with trains. Late in the morning Jon asked Mommy, "When am I going to be five?"

"You are five today; it's your birthday," Mommy reminded him.

"Today! Today I am five?"

"Yup."

"But when did I turn five?"

"Today. It's your birthday and you are five now."

"No, but when. Right now?"

"I guess," she paused and wondered where he was going with this line of questioning. "I guess you turned five this morning. So, you are five now."

"Right now I'm five."

"Yes, now you are five-years-old."

He thought about it. And in quiet, pensive voice he wondered aloud, "So, this is how it feels to be five."

The next day, Jon woke up, got out of bed, dressed, and asked Mommy, "Am I six today?"