Step by step

On a random piece of paper with the German slogan "Immer einen Schritt voraus" (always a step ahead of the way), I wrote many years ago...

My son wanted to climb on a neighbour's wall to walk on it. I told him: "Go ahead, if you want to, you know how." (Andale si quieres, tu sabes como.) He's used to holding father or mother's hand. I was set on keeping going. From our home to my parents' house walking speed with stroller, kids and canine: roughly an hour. We don't own a car, otherwise it would take 3-5 minutes. Unbelievable! Anyway, he climbs up on the wall  and walks on it just fine by himself until he starts whining that he doesn't want to do it by himself, that he needs help. "You're doing it just fine, you see!" (Vas bien ¡ya ves!) I reassure him without stopping myself, always with an eye on him though. I hold his hand for the jump down upon his request. He'd just never walked alone on the wall before, didn't know he could do it just fine. The next walls he looked at and touched, he contemplated them but didn't ask to walk on'em nor made an attempt to do so on his own. He'll probably sleep on it a night or more. Perhaps he'll pass these neighbourhood walls in contemplative silence again or many more times until he realizes that he can do it by himself just fine... pensive, careful and analytical as he is.