Virtually devoted

What is it about little fingers and little noses that make an adult melt?

The impending or desired arrival of a baby often is referred to in terms of little feet- ‘pitter patter of little feet’, ‘ Kunji kaal kanende?’ (Malayalam for ‘Isn’t it time we saw some little feet?’) There is something so whimsical about a baby or a little child. The little finger tips that are so tiny, the feet so cute that you want to eat them, the tiniest toes so pink and soft and the best of all, the look you get often that stares into your soul with the most pertinent question of the moment! I feel like the world stops when I get one of those looks. My personal favorite is the relentless giggle from any child 10 and younger. Often this is triggered by the most mundane things like a silly looking frog, or a peering adult, or worse a falling adult! However, it’s just a treat to be around when one of those happens. Another personal favorite is that baby smell- baby breath. OH….. Most moms and dads can agree with me on that.

On an average, a 4 year old behaves pretty much like a monkey. The preschooler can drive a relatively collected adult, tiringly insane, 20- 30% of our waking hours, nevertheless all hostility ends when we are hugged suddenly out of nowhere or when we see the tiny perpetrator dozing off on his story book and occasionally on his dinner plate. How about that diaper packed little package that crawls around the house speeding off playfully with the cutest screech?

We learn so much from this little person. I realize that this pleasure need not come from one of my own but from any child! It’s just so wonderful to be around them, to hear their take on the world, be it through coos, or broken words- it makes absolute sense. I have seen major transformations of people who were not exactly ‘kid – friendly’ change their minds and lives, once they actually start spending time with ‘these little people’.
What is it about their quips, their expectant looks, and the excitement at seeing the moon the first time or the 100th time that is so endearing to us? Why does everything just take a back seat when we stop to answer one of those very important questions or looks?

I guess it couldn’t be only love….

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