Dear Kids,
For some random reason, David Bowie‘s “When I’m Five” popped into my head this morning when I was busy making your lunches. Just as a side note, I get up every morning and trudge down to the kitchen and make your lunches. You always have the same thing: SBR and SBK have bagels with egg and cheese, and SBE has either a bagel with Nutella or a Nutella sandwich. I’ve been making your lunches so often that it’s rote, it’s brain-numbing, and my mind has a tendency to wander. So today, it wandered to “When I’m Five.”
I love this song. Bowie sings from the perspective of a 4-year-old who can’t wait until he’s 5 and all the great things he will be able to do when he’s 5. It’s sweet and endearing (and a bit surprising coming from the same head that gave us “Please, Mr. Gravedigger“). The 3 of you, and I guess all children really, count down to your birthday. SBE, your 7th birthday was just a few weeks ago, and for the month leading up to it, you would ask how many more days until your birthday. You all do this, and I remind you, you’ll never be this age again, so don’t waste a minute of it. Enjoy being x age until the very second you become the next age because before you know it, that 7th birthday is going to be your 17th, then your 47, than your 107. Live every day to it’s fullest and enjoy all that comes your way.
OK, sorry, I’m getting off topic…”When I’m Five.” I love this song. I loved it as a kid when your aunt A- first played it for me. In one of my rare flashes of brilliance, I played it for you, SBR, the day before you turned 5. Then I played it for you, SBK, the day before you turned 5, and SBR, you, too, got to listen to it the day before your 5th birthday. I don’t think any of you really appreciated it at the time, but maybe now, at whatever age you are when you’re reading this, you will hear it and get why I liked it and why I played it for you…and more importantly, why I wanted to play it for you and why it makes me so happy to remember playing it for you and thinking about how excited you were to turn 5.
Zaide didn’t play it for me, but that doesn’t mean a tradition wasn’t born when I played it for you. So, I ask that when you have children of your own, please play it for them the day before they turn 5 and ensure that a tradition I started is carried on to the next generation. If I’m still around, maybe I’ll play it for them. That would be very special for me. But either way, , don’t stop enjoying your age until the very minute your birthday happens and a new year is laid out for you. Then enjoy all 31,536,000 seconds of that year.
Love,
Ana
P.S., I have no idea what technology will be like when you’re reading this, or what will/won’t be banned, so I’m including the lyrics. If you can’t find the original song, just make up a tune and sing it youreself.
When I’m five
I will wash my face and hands all by myself
When I’m five
I will chew and spit tobacco like my grandfather Jones
‘Cause I’m only four and five is far away
When I’m five
I will read the magazines in mummy’s drawer
When I’m five
I will walk behind the soldiers in the May Day parade
‘Cause I’m only four and grown-ups walk too fast
Yesterday was horrid day, ’cause Raymond kicked my shin
And mummy says if I am good, she’ll let me go to school in August
Daddy shouted loud at mummy and I dropped my toast at breakfast
And I laughed when Bonzo licked my face, because it tickled
I wonder why my daddy cries and how I wish that I was nearly five
When I’m five
I will catch a butterfly and eat it and I won’t be sick
When I’m five
I will jump in puddles, laugh in church and marry my mum
And I’ll let my daddy do the washing-up
If I close one eye, the people on that side can’t see me
I get headaches in the morning and I rode on Freddie’s tri-ki-sikle
And everywhere was funny, when I ran down to the sweetshop
Then I fell and bleeded-up my knee and everybody soppied me
I saw a photograph of Jesus and I asked him if he’d make me five
I saw a photograph of Jesus and I asked him if he’d make me five
When I’m five
When I’m five
When I’m oah
