Miracle of the Lap

I was eating Cheerios. He is playing. Pushing chairs around. Now picking things up off of the floor and putting them in the trashcan. Things like the Cheerios that he recently and ceremoniously ejected from the table himself. He plays by himself in long stretches but mostly stays within my aura, only wandering a little further away for brief moments, but at those times he bounds back into the room where I am and up into my arms. Wanting a kiss. Then release and off again.

But at some point he climbs up into my lap. Just to sit there, wanting that closeness with Mama.

This is such a special stage of independence. Everyone assumes that independence is all about letting go. But if that were true we would all live isolated and never see anyone else. A hermit, incidentally, does not live in isolation. For a hermit can only be seen as living solitary in relationship to her/his community. Otherwise you are just a nut reputed to live in the desert or forest. No contact.

Closeness is such an important part of independence and of developing healthy relationships with people and God and saints and angels. My son is not sitting here in my arms by default. We are nursing less than ever now. Mostly just after he wakes up from his nap, sometimes also in the morning when he wakes up, sometimes not at all. But his need for love, for closeness, for spiritual sharing through physical touch as not disappeared. Now he chooses. He chooses to be hugged. To try the cereal with milk that I am eating. We share our energy back and forth, loving.

Adults need that closeness, too, and too many of us are out of the habit.
Closeness, physical touch from friends, neighbors, lovers in kindness, creates a spiritual awareness. Give a peaceful handshake instead of a hurried one. Put a hand on a shoulder. Sit close. Draw someone in for a hug or a side-arm embrace. Place a hand on someone's arm, look them in the eye, say Thank-you.

Choose.

Choose to pay attention to the people in your life. Choose to Love.