I was just watching E.T. with my newly 3 year old son Max. One of my all-time favorite movies and one of the very first movies that I saw in the movie theater. Anyway, he made it through the whole movie but not without a million questions all the way through. It amazes me how his little mind works! I was pretty impressed with the depth and understanding of his questions. But what touched my heart beyond words was to witness his sensitive little heart.
As you all remember the end, it's heart-wrenching. I bawl every single time I watch this movie, much like Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias, but I digress... As we are snuggling on the couch, he turns his cute little face to me with his big black eyes wide open and I can see tears forming. I ask him if he is crying and he starts bawling unconsolably. I couldn't believe that he understood at the depth that he did. As I hugged him and tried to comfort him, he just kept sobbing. I told him that I always cry too and that it was alright. I asked him if he would like me to hold him and he said yes. Well that is a moment every mommy loves, of course. I just took him in my arms and consoled his sweet little heart. It just touched me to see his sensitivity. He was happy that E.T. was going home to his mommy and daddy, but he really understood the connection that he and Elliot had and was so very sad that he had to leave him. He is just a sweet little pea. I hope he continues to grow with that kind of empathy and sensitivity as a man because that will make him such a great little human.
I had to get this one in the books as I must remember this story for Max some day...whether it's to understand him better in the years to come or share it with his first girlfriend!
Amazing. I think about when you are first expecting, and everyone feels the need to tell you horror stories about parenting: The lack of sleep, the endless dirty diapers, projectile vomiting, etc. But rarely does someone tell you a story like this, one of those moments with your kids that just rip you apart and put you back together again in one unbelievable emotional moment.
ReplyDeleteWhen Sean was four we went to his first parent/teacher conference at his preschool, and the instructor went through the usual litany of things he needed to focus on and areas he should improve. Then she mentioned that, while his printing certainly needed work, he had an amazing sense of empathy. "If someone is sad, Sean tries to cheer them up," she said. "And if someone falls and skins their knee, Sean will drop whatever he is doing, go to them, and try to comfort them."
And WHAM, emotion flowed over me like a tidal wave, and I thought, "He'll LEARN how to write, and read, and do math. But you can't learn a natural desire to want to ease another's pain..." And I knew then, that if I could help him hang on to that as he grew older, he would be, as you said, "a great little human."