Fools Rush In
6/28/2012
I blew up a balloon for my 15 month-old son this morning.
In my enthusiasm to show him something he would delight in, I filled it a little bigger than usual.
He lunged for it, arms open wide and gave it a big “Paki Bear” hug. And this is when the balloon popped, loudly and without warning, leaving his little hands open and one of them with a sting.
Oh, how awful I felt, knowing I could have prevented this ouch.
After shedding a few tears in my arms and soaking up some mama re-assurance, he reached for another balloon and directed me in a language of mostly gestures and grunts to, “do it again!”
I carefully filled the next one, smaller this time, to be on the “safe” side.
My little guy wasted no time and rushed his new object of desire, fearless and determined.
Now this is how to love!
To unfold and open oneself
like the morning flower,
in an offering
here’s what I have to give
here’s my vulnerable center
Its instinct in children
as an adult, you have to be brave
and take notice
for we are masters of distraction
As adults our capacity to remember slights far longer than is useful, both real and invented can block our letting love in.
Another day the little guy was lunging for an ice cube I was teetering into an empty glass. I let him get hold of it and watched him squeal, so thrilled with his catch.
Then came the lesson, and the cube fell. Right then I got to witness my child make sense of a great force of nature.
Ouch, too cold, I must move away from that.
We want to protect our children, and ourselves from the hurts in life.
The trouble is the learning is in the hurts.
