Four years old, 4 a.m. eternal plus l’orange plus five New Year’s lessons.

Daddy?
he asked in the darkness as we pulled into our driveway.
When we get inside can I have an orange and then can I go to bed?

Well,
I said.
It's four o'clock in the morning, so I suppose it would be okay for you to go to bed. Are you kinda tired?

Yeah.
he said.
I want to go to bed after I have an orange.

Alright.
I said.

But I need to brush my teeth after I eat an orange.
he said.

You are your mother's son.
I said.
And that's a good thing.

Happy 2015, universe. Don't forget to stay up late lots, floss and brush daily, and eat lots of fruit.

____

FIVE NEW YEAR'S LESSONS CONTAINED IN THIS THREE MINUTES OF A FOUR-YEAR OLD TRYING TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN AND DRUM SOLO THE KILLERS.

1. There's a time to be in the spotlight, and time to cheer on others in the spotlight.

2. Interests need nurturing. And enthusiastic support.

3. Juxtaposition: melody, noise, chaos, and structure are interblended ingredients of successful art, music, and life.

4. Life is a mixture of the sacred and the secular, like it or not. Brace against it or embrace it.

5a. Take turns.

5b. Keep going. And maybe you'll succeed. Or maybe you won't. But either way, listen to lots of good music along the way.

5d. We sing Jesus Loves Me together, and we sing All These Things (a.k.a. I've Got Soul, But I'm Not a Soldier) together. And we sing a lot of songs together. Singing is participatory, and should be done frequently and with vigor, and possibly in tune if possible, but don't let it stop you if that's a stumbling block.

5e. Do not make excuses for not making art or music, like not having lessons, or missing part of a cymbal. Use what you got. And make melody for the universe.

Happy New Year, worlds.