By G. E.
Shuman
I was in my car and happened to have
just approached an intersection in downtown Barre, when something simple, but
somehow profound, happened to me. Just as I was slowing to stop, a young woman
came around the corner of a building and headed down the sidewalk, facing
toward me. This lady was pushing one of those ‘double’ baby strollers, which
was occupied by two very young infants.
Although I am not normally a very ‘smiley’ person, it is my
natural inclination to smile when I see a baby.
I’m not sure why that is, other than that I have always loved babies and
small children.
The thing that happened next, as you
have probably guessed from the title, is that the young woman must have seen me
smiling at her beautiful twins, as I waited for the traffic light to change. I
looked up at her, and she immediately smiled back at me. That was it… that was all, and you might be
wondering why I was so struck by her smile to call the occurrence
profound. Well, you see, as I drove
away, probably never to see those infants or their proud mom again, I realized
that she had appreciated MY appreciating her children, and let me know that,
with a smile. I think that that appreciation
doesn’t happen much today, especially with strangers. I also think that fact is a sad one.
We live in a sinful, dangerous world
today, where kids are rightly taught to not speak to strangers; a world in
which children may be kidnapped, or neglected, or abused. Those horrifying things are in the news
almost daily. When I was young such terrible occurrences were rare, and most
parents felt safe allowing their kids to play throughout the neighborhood. Even
as preteens, my friends and I would spend summer evenings playing army or cops
and robbers on our street and even in the woods, guided only by moonlight. There
was not the fear of danger then that parents must face today.
Even though I hate the idea, I think
that people like me, from my generation, need to be careful these days, for the
sake of the kids, and that I need to heed my own advice. For years now, when my
wife has been pushing a shopping cart around the supermarket on a Saturday
morning, (and I am dutifully following her,) I have enjoyed waving at the young
kids in their carts and getting smiles and waves in return. (I have to have some fun.) Truthfully, and
sadly, this is probably counterproductive, if their parents are teaching them
to not trust strangers. I guess we all must be more careful.
Still, that day in my car, at that
downtown Barre intersection, I felt a bit of hope, that not everyone is
suspected of evil intent just because they are someone who is unknown. I
happened to be in the right place at the right time that day, to see the double
blessing that was riding in that double stroller. I also saw a joyful young mom, and she smiled
at me. J
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