You know how there are times in life where you are in moment, your telling that story, that joke, the worm or whatever it is for that second you have all the monkeys off your back and your just…..you. On the reverse side we see those we love in these moments as well, sometimes the same story, the same joke, the same dance many times.
I was chatting with a good mate the other night, and realised that these moments define us, as much as they define those we love. Do we in our glum, casual, dismissive way point out that we have seen this 50 times or do we sit back and just leave the moment alone ? Let it fill the soul of that person in whatever way it does.
Knowing someone intimately should empower you to protect that person. Don’t mistake having fun with demeaning the ones you love.
Sometimes our silence shows far more love and support than our words. I know there are words I would like to take back, I know there are times where I felt utterly betrayed by the person I trusted and relied on the most. Standing at one moment tall, and in the next like a child being scorned.
If i could tell one thing to my boys as they grow up, if I could teach them one thing. It would be the delicate art of embracing or letting a moment go. Of holding your tongue, resting instead of reacting.
Last time Jesse and I visited Reef in Melbourne saying good-bye was so hard. So hard for Jesse, but I know I need to take him to see his brother, as hard as it is. So we’re sitting in the plane on the way home, and I look across to him and he is staring out the window. My heart is just breaking for him as I know he is feeling just what I am. Resting my hand on his knee I say to him “You ok buddy?” After a moment he says very quietly “Dad, I just miss Reef” I can see him crying and all I can do is lean over give him a kiss and say “I know”
There was no explaining, I knew in that moment I had to just be there for him. My words would have been white noise.
So I suppose the main thing is that we need to learn that some moments are better left to their own beauty or tragedy, and we just need to sit back, shut up and let them be.
