Hi-five Lessons on the Subway

As I stood on the subway train-- only three stops before making my next connection-- I happened to glance over at family of four. 

The mom was sitting, slightly bent over a baby stroller. Next to her was an outgoing little girl wearing glasses and a quiet little boy, both approximately 4 or 5 years old.  Sitting in the stroller was a little girl in pigtails who appeared to be around 2 1/2 years old. The older girl was in the process of trying to teach the younger one how to high five.

Holding up her right hand, palm facing the younger girl, the older one asked her to mirror her. She tried this method a few times, and then, perhaps thinking her student needed to see it in action, demonstrated by high five-ing the mom. 

Taking it a step further, just in case this called for a more hands on approach, the older girl leaned towards the little one, physically picked up her hand, and then struck it against her own--effectively making a high five happen.

Now. Now, that contact had finally been made, the older girl, thoroughly confident in her teaching abilities, once again held up her hand and invited the younger one to a high five.

In reply, the younger one  laughed. Rather cheekily. And then, with mischief dancing in her eyes, retreated as far as she could into her stroller.

I think everyone watching would  have agreed that the lesson was over.

Signs of Love

On my way back from the laundromat, I saw the feather. I noticed and smiled. I associate white feathers with Angels and being loved and watched over. I like to think when I see white feathers, I'm being told, "We're cheering you on." A few seconds later, I saw the dandelion fluff gliding through the air within my reach. Now, in the past, I've had to work a bit (i.e. run and grab at air a few times) to catch a dandelion fluff 😉 So it's nearness and seeing it on the heels of spotting the white feather made me laugh, as I reached out and caught it. I've been dealing with some physical pain the last few days. I've taken steps to heal it, but it's the type of pain that's made me cry out with frustration to the heavens, Help please! I had a rough night between experiencing the pain itself and my thoughts about the pain. But my little white feather and dandelion fluff are helping me to endure and gently keep returning to the thought, I'm going to be fine. And I honestly believe if I play my part-- however many times I have to remind myself--by thinking thoughts that help me feel balanced on the inside, then I'll be able to navigate, to the best of my abilities, whatever is happening on the outside. So that's where I find myself. Hope your weekend is filled with thoughts that lift you up. Cheering you on :) 

🙂

Three on a the Subway, Parenting

It was about 6:30am and the subway car was already filling up with passengers.  A party of three boarded.  A man in a faded blue cap, blue shirt, brown shorts, and glasses rolling a large luggage bag with two smaller bags attached, was accompanied by two children, approximately age 5 or 6, a boy and girl, each wearing backpacks. There were two spaces available-- one of which was an end seat-- and the man guided the little girl to sit.  She did. He then asked the little boy to sit next to her. He wouldn't, and set his lower lip in a way to further let his guardian know he wasn't budging. 

The guardian looked tired.  But he took the boy's refusal in stride and sat on the end seat on the right hand side of the girl. As soon as he sat, he asked the boy again if he wanted to sit. No. Then the girl gestured to the guardian that she wanted to switch sides. So he gets up and moves to her left. She's now sitting on the end seat. Initially a few feet away, the little boy inches closer. The guardian asks again if he wants to sit down. This time the boy nods a yes. So, the guardian gets up, and now the little girl complains-- it's not clear to me if she's complaining about the guardian getting up or complaining because she's had to move down so the boy, who looks rather pleased with the situation, is now sitting on the end seat. A passenger who was sitting next to the guardian, moves down, making more room so the guardian retakes his seat. With the game of musical chairs coming to an end, the boy is on the end seat, the girl is to his left and the the guardian is to her left, all appear to settle in for the rest of their train ride. But when I looked over about 15 minutes later, somehow the girl had reclaimed the end seat and the boy was now sitting on the luggage in front of the guardian-- his little body angled towards him, while looking off to the side, as the guardian quietly spoke to him.

I felt for the guardian.  Here he was traveling via subway with rather heavy and cumbersome looking luggage, early in the morning, with two little ones-- neither one shy in communicating their feelings.  But I was also proud of the guardian.  He looked tired, but he was quietly engaged.  He was definitely present with the kids.  I hoped for the very best in their day's adventures.

Taking a Mental Picture on the Sidewalks of Brooklyn

Two women engaged in what appeared to be a leisurely stroll were pushing carts down the sidewalk. One looked to be in her fifties-- I found myself admiring her warm, but vibrant red top.  Her fellow traveler, possibly in her late thirties, was smiling and nodding as she listened to the other woman's words.  A few moments after they'd passed by my perch in front of an apartment building, a high pitched squeal had me turning around. 

A young girl, possibly in her mid to late teens, still squealing with the distinctly irrepressible joy often attributed to youth, enveloped the older woman around the waist, picked her up, and held her for about 4 or 5 seconds a few inches off the ground.  Her joy was so palpable, I could feel it radiating off of her.  Her joy was so infectious that I found myself grinning, drawn like a magnet to this unexpected expression and experience of love in action, delighted in this new mental picture. I don't believe I have ever witnessed a young girl so happy that she literally picked up an adult, momentarily holding her suspended in the air.  Made my heart smile ♥️

Two on the subway, child and guardian

I was standing by one of the subway car doors during what, for me, was a two stops train ride, the next stop being my transfer point. I noticed her as she looked up to her guardian, possibly her mother, most definitely a loved and cherished one.  Much of her silky black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, while the rest framed an upturned face with shining dark eyes and a sweet, sweet smile.  She looked to be about 5 or 6, but even then I got the impression she was small for her age. I watched her snuggle closer to her guardian, who in turn looked down at her, and drew her closer with a right handed embrace.  Content, the young girl lay her head on the woman's chest and closed her eyes. And I felt a warmth bloom within and thought of mothers, and the unique feeling of safety found in the comfort of a mother's arms.