We didn’t have a lot of money, but that had nothing to do with our love for cardboard boxes. I remember one day playing with a new friend, a rich friend. She lived in a lovely, big house with beautiful things. She had her own room with lots of expensive toys. But we spent the entire afternoon rolling each other around her back yard in a cardboard box, laughing our heads off, having the time of our lives. When the box finally disintegrated beyond use, we made S’mores in her fireplace.
I had a dollhouse once. My father made it for me. He made it out of a cardboard box. He cut out windows and doors, painted shutters, put cardboard dividers for rooms, and bought tiny dolls and doll furniture to put inside. I was charmed, thrilled, overwhelmed with the delight of having a dollhouse of my very own! I thought it was the most beautiful dollhouse ever.
Another thing I remember from childhood was being entrepreneurial. My sister and I would set up a folding table in the front yard near the street. We’d arrange our toys on it and stand expectantly, waiting for customers, dreaming about the treasures we’d buy with our money. The only thing I ever sold was my Troll doll. I was unhappy with my Troll doll, because upon removing the “pearl” necklace from around her neck, I cut myself with the wire of the “necklace” and got some of the beads stuck in my nose. So I was ecstatic when our Minister, who wanted it for his granddaughter, bought it for a nickel. I never forgot the thrill of selling something and earning money for it.
When our middle son was small, he was very creative. He would often make his own toys out of paper, and he loved to make drawings by the bazillion on little pads of paper. One day, possibly inspired by my own story, he set up a table by the road to try to sell them. He sold exactly one picture, to the mailman, but possibly due to inflation he earned twice as much as I - a whole dime. He was so jazzed! He was sure his career as an artist was launched.
When I saw this charming little video about a young boy building his own arcade with the cardboard boxes in his Dad’s auto shop, memories of my own childhood, and my son’s, came back. The creativity this boy displayed, his attention to detail, his entrepreneurial spirit, was endearing. The kindness of a stranger to make a little boy’s dream come true was inspiring. I absolutely loved this video. Perhaps you will too. Click HERE to see it.
