Victory In Silence

I sit at the back of the room, I like seats that face the space, I am creeped out to have my back to the unknown. My vantage point, I see plenty. From this spot I see the manners, the respect, celebrations, the struggling, and can insert myself where needed. Lately I have been witness to the silent. Do you ever watch an infant when their parent come into view. Some reach, some squeal with delight, some of the firsts are in-chase of the favourites, parents are in that category, right up there with food! Catching candid moments of this bond, this yearning is adorable. My son as a toddler, would stand at the screen door awaiting his Daddies arrival. He would bounce when he came into view, hollering “Hi!” over and over!

Much like these affectionate moments, we catch glimpses of the not so nice, usually just a small snippet of character. No one likes to be caught being unkind. I once went around the corner when I was a teen to take the subway and interrupted a couple arguing. The man was not so kind, and he had a firm hold on the woman and dropped his hands and stepped back as I came around the corner.. leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Now little kids, sticking out their tongue at another, but then are hugging the same child within moments, they hold nothing in, lacking impulse control. The meanest thing they come up with is the infamous Birthday Party invite, even if their party was yesterday. The problem solving is not complex.

I work in special education and I love it. I love the real authentic child without the filters. The one that yells out their feelings, especially the happy feelings, so infectious. When hugs really count, when a Kleenex is a clean up and start over prompt! When success is a high five and a sticker. When they hear that is great so much, that they repeat it to those they feel have done their best. When your repeated praises are now the ones they say. One that really got me in the feels was a little one, that constantly held his hand out when his bus mates got off the bus to go to the middle school. The ones exiting the bus could not see his reaction, as they were on their way off the bus. But you know when a hockey player puts the puck in the net and skates off and does the ching ching arm movement in celebration? That is the motion he did in his seat after any kid gave him that simple high five. That was his accomplishment and he celebrated every time, without anyone even knowing. I love all of it!