This is my niece Adi. She recently decided that I am her favorite aunt, which is so flattering. Every time she sees me, her face lights up and she gives me a huge hug. She tells me that she loves me over and over. It is very sweet.
Last Sunday we had a big family dinner, and of course Adi was there. When she spotted me, a smile spread over her face as she exclaimed, "I love YOU!" She gave me a great big hug and a kiss.
"What's my name?" I asked when she was done.
"Uhhhhh..."
I love the fact that Adi can't remember my name (or the name of any of our other family members, for that matter), but she knows that she loves us. Wouldn't it be great if we could all be that way, letting go of our impressions and judgments and categories, and focusing our energy on loving unconditionally?
I love the lessons that we learn from children.
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A couple weeks ago one of the little boys from Primary wanted to tell me something. And to get my attention, he was like, "You, I don't remember your name..."
ReplyDeleteHe attached himself to me the first day his family moved into the ward when he was in nursery. I could not get away for a minute. After I moved back last year, he glommed onto me again (although not quite as dramatically as before).
And he has no idea what my name is. First or last.