Jay Cassario

Balloons. Taken on Easter morning, playing with the simplest of gifts that can easily bring a smile to a kid who doesn’t understand why he can’t see his friends. We he can’t see his grandparents or his favorite cousins. A simple gift that isn’t an iPad or a video game. Just a couple balloons among a few other gifts that put the biggest smile on his face. At his age, balloons still make him smile, and I love that. As more and more time goes on with social distancing, I find myself struggling with the right words to help him understand. It’s extremely tough. If he gets upset, I have to look away and get a grip on my emotions. Sometimes I let him see them, others I don’t. I can barely keep it together myself some days so trying to make sense of it all to a 5 year old isn’t exactly what I’m wired to do. It’s moments like these when he doesn’t know I have a camera out and his smile is so real and full of childhood dreams that it radiates and reminds me why we’re taking these precautions. Imagining what he could be dreaming of, possibly grabbing a few more and flying away, maybe over to a friend’s house. Maybe to the park. Maybe, none of that at all, just simply looking at them for what they are, which to someone his age is a sign of hope. Even if just for a moment that can take a 5 year old’s imagination on a new adventure somewhere far away from the one that he’s living now, stuck at home with Mom and Dad. Document this time. If you don’t have a camera, use your phone. I’m personally keeping a photo journal on my jaycassario website that I’ll continue to update if anyone wants to follow along. If you have your own, please post the link to it in the comment section of the actual blog post and not here. Thank you!! .