Knocking Down Towers

A toddler builds a tower
Then he knocks it down with glee
And every time the fun’s the same;
That is a guarantee.

This type of play’s preparing him
For what he’ll face in life –
The highs and lows, the joy and pain,
The beauty and the strife.

The trick is to retain, with age,
The child’s determined view
That once his effort’s tumbled down,
It can be built anew.

But even if we can retain
That optimistic slant,
To laugh when things all fall apart
Is something we just can’t.