I observed a 3 year old girl yesterday, being 3. At the beach with her grandparents. It was time to leave and her older sister noticed the beach showers. She watched quietly as her sister lifted her feet up to wash off the sand. She sqealed, “I want to do that”! The joy in her face and body brought tears to my eyes. Her grandparents waited patiently as she lifted her tiny feet over and over to be splashed by the water, giggling with pure pleasure every time like it was the first.
They never rushed her. They waited for her to have this simple fun. Since I was alone, not hurrying, not on a schedule, not caring what anyone else thought and so present in the moment- because I chose to sit down on a bench at the pavilion and breathe, I was able to fully take in this seemingly mundane 3 minutes of aliveness. Through the eyes of this child.
A Fish Named Karen 
I love moments like this. I remember watching an Indian Mum help her 3 year old daughter down the stairs very gently and patiently. It was such a joy to behold but made me so sad too. I get this.
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Yes, I spent many years feeling sad and only able to see the lack, the neglect, the anger, violence in exchanges I would happen upon. Now it feels more joyful in my heart for that child – to see that SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE just might be doing it 1/2 way correctly with their child. I really am mesmerized when I see a child getting his/her emotional needs met. I have space for that now, in my own system – without the trigger bringing me back to my own shitty experiences. Thank you for your comment it helped to illuminate some things for me. 💜
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We can give that love to our inner child now. We can also realise how devastating it was to live without it (in the past!) xoxox
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Yes yes
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That would have been nice to watch, for sure and it was nice the family allowing to have that joy.
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Yes, I think these things happen around us 24-7 but the difference was that I was open and present and available. Liz, thanks for stopping by my blog.
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