A Beautiful Encounter
By Susan Knight | Reflecting on the pleasure of witnessing a mother and her young son fully engaged with each other and fully present in the moment.
Written by Susan Knight | Seeking Veritas Columnist | Sankarsingh-Gonsalves Productions
Help me understand
Take me, do you remember the time darlin'
When everything made more sense in the world?
Oh, I remember, I remember when life made more sense
Ah, take me back, take me back, take me back, take me back
– Van Morrison
The healthy-looking boy with thick black hair, about four or five years old, was dressed in a soccer uniform. His young mother, also healthy-looking with dark eyes and beautiful features, was wearing jeans and a long, flowy tunic. Standing close enough to his mother to lean against her, the boy was playing with the hem of her tunic, extending it, folding it, and rearranging the fabric. He suddenly paused from his activity with the tunic to look up at his mother. “I love you,” he said in a calm but earnest tone. She looked down at him. “I love you too,” she replied, in a comparable tone. No animated expressions, no exuberant emotion. Just a calm, relaxed but earnest tone from both of them.
They continued to maintain eye contact with each other for a few seconds, with no change in expression or posture. Then the boy shifted his focus back to playing with his mother’s tunic. He alternated between leaning into her with his head resting against her body; and pulling back to allow enough space to stretch and move the fabric of the tunic around. The mother kept one hand on her son’s shoulder, loosely enough so as not to impede his movement as he changed his position. With her other hand, she gently stroked his hair during those moments when he leaned into her. During one such moment, she glanced my way and we exchanged smiles. It was barely a minute before the elevator doors opened and everyone stepped off, yet that’s all the time it took for that mother and son to leave a lasting impression on me.
What was it that made their exchange so special to me? Many things. I loved seeing the warmth and affection they displayed towards each other. Even though the boy’s position and movements changed, he maintained physical contact with his mother at all times. I was struck by the unexpected tone with which they exchanged their I love you’s, calmly but intently, with conviction. I was touched by the pause that came after the I love you’s, as they looked into each other’s eyes. And I appreciated the obvious connection they shared even when they weren’t speaking or directly looking at one another. Their interaction radiated a beautiful sense of closeness, security, and being fully aware of each other, with the mother being fully aware of me as well.
I found an added measure of specialness in the exchange between this mother and her son when I compared it to a different kind of situation I’ve been observing with increased frequency. On many occasions when I’ve been out walking, I’ve had people nearly walk into me because rather than looking where they were going, they had their head down looking at their phone. And far too often, I’ve seen parents with their attention focused on the phone conversation they are having at the time, instead of on the children they have with them.
The first scenario could be considered unfortunate for several reasons, one of which is how much these individuals are missing due to having their heads down with their attention on their phones. They miss seeing the mourning doves that let you get unbelievably close if you approach slowly. They miss seeing the baby rabbits munching on grass near the sidewalk before hopping away and disappearing into the bushes. They miss seeing the chipmunks that have an interesting way of stopping and starting as they travel along the top of a fence beside you, as if they’re making a deliberate effort to keep pace with you as you walk. And they miss seeing all the people they’re passing by, each occasion a missed opportunity to share a smile and possibly a friendly hello.
It’s the second scenario, however, that really saddens me; those individuals who are ignoring the children they’re with while they focus their attention on their phones. So many missed moments that could have been enjoyed together, just by being present and engaging with their immediate surroundings.
Taking all of that into account, it’s easy to see why I cherish scenes like the one I witnessed in the elevator between that mother and her son. Two people fully engaged with each other and fully present in the moment (without the distraction of a phone), so simply, so tenderly, so lovingly. You can’t help but feel as if you yourself have somehow been enveloped in something wonderfully warm and special merely by observing such a beautiful encounter.
About the author: Susan Knight | SGP Featured Writer | Contact the author: @ http://skfreelance.com
Susan is certified health and wellness coach with a focus on personal growth and inner wellness. She was a regular contributor to Social Work Today Magazine and is a featured Health & Wellness Columnist for SGP.
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