Listening to Carter

 

this dear boy has the most amazing eyes.

you can't see them in this photo

and a photo doesn't even do them justice.

they are dark and deep and wide

and when he looks at you

deeply

you stop.

you stop whatever you are doing

and gaze back at him

and listen.

listen to the love and the trust and the hope

and the questions and the hurt

and the fear and the confusion

and you hear all of it

without him even saying a word.

this boy doesn't talk much at all

and when he does,

it might be mixed in with a sandcastle building

or a hulahoop twirling

or a stomp-stomp stomping.

he might be whispering love while painting

he might be complaining bitterly while running-

he might be inviting you into his world

while twirling and counting and looking.

he might be asking for reassurance when he buries his head into your belly

i am learning to listen.

Learing to hear the many languages he speaks.

and

it is exhausting and hard and requires a deep level of listening

that doesn't come naturally.

some days it doesn't come easy

and i forget to listen

other days i remember

the lessons i am learning from him

and i hear so much!