I had been unemployed for several months, spending my days on the internet in search of a job. With no internet at home I resorted to spending time first at the library, and later at a local cafe where I was permitted to spend the day so long as I purchased a cuppa.
It was a lonely time. Long months filled with long days of seemingly hopeless searching. It was taking the heart out of me. The job search was punctuated by social media, in small doses... But the day, every day, was spent in the cafe on the free wifi. A cafe populated by myriad groups of people, as you would find in any such establishment. Young and old, young with old, families, parents with small children visiting with other folks.
Then, one day, rather suddenly, a sort of spell was broken. I had not noticed the child observing me. He was very small, perhaps all of 3 years old. His mother was preparing to depart. Then quick, as those little ones can be, he ran over and scrambled up onto the bench next to me. Before I realized it he had thrown his little arms around me. Taken aback, I quickly hugged him back and told him, "thank you".
His mother was, naturally, apologetic. "Oh, no problem at all," I asserted.
If only she had known just how much I needed that hug from that little child.
I sometimes think about that little boy. What did he see when he was watching me? What filled him with the knowledge that I needed to be hugged?
I remember this occurrence well and often, and it always brings tears to my eyes.
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| photo representative of the hug beautiful boy beautiful child .... ... .. . |
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