Sitting on my lap, very
quietly but as always very attentive & obedient; his shaved head beginning
to sweat, is a little boy with the brightest eyes. It is just after 2:30pm
so most of the kids are still racing about, they're all waiting to be picked up
after a fun day at Preschool. I wrap my arms around him to hug him
close “Ca va?” (how you doing?) as usual he doesn't respond “Ou bien?” (You
good?") he nods his head and snuggles closer. We start rocking as the cool
breeze plays with the long leaves of the palm tree beside us. I kick the random
ball that is kicked my way, talk in my broken creole to the children
and tickle those that get close enough. He quietly rests his head on my shoulder
and after a time falls asleep till almost all of the children have been picked
up. His beautiful sister loves to play with my hair and
is surprisingly one of the three that are very gentle, not that the other
children are mean, but their thick hair is tougher than my thin caramel hair
and they're used to tugging where my scalp (though babysitting and younger
siblings has toughened it up some) can only take so much before it comes out.
She begins braiding and twisting the strands together, as he wakes up he too
begins to play with the tip of my hair trying to copy his sisters actions.
When their mother arrives she walks over and pats his little cheek as he stares up at her, his fingers still hard at work "Bonswa" (Good afternoon) she greets all three of us, my head is cocked so I can see his face and I'm shocked when from his little mouth comes a whispered "Bonswa". I had never heard him talk!!! His mother assured me that he talks "All the time" at home but the teachers and I all explained that none of us had ever heard him talk; though he's always very obedient and sweet.
The next morning I didn't see my little bright eyes before it was time to serve the kids breakfast. I helped to serve the plates of oatmeal and raisins to each of the kids and spotted him sitting at one of the long tables. He is one of the last ones to finish eating along with another little girl with bright ribbons in her hair "Bonjour Redjina, comme ye?" (Good morning, how are you?) I ask kissing her forehead as she leans back to look at me "Mwen bien, messi" (I'm good, thank you) she giggles as I tickle her "Bonjour Chilo, comme ye?" I kiss his forehead and he pauses for a moment, his deep brown eyes melting my heart for the millionth time "Bien" he whispers, I can't help the huge smile that escapes my lips "Bien?'" he gives me an almost smile and replies "Oui" my heart felt like it was going to burst "Oh wow, bravo! Messi por parle avek mwen!" This happened in my second week of being here in Haiti while my mom was here; she happened to walk in as this was happening and I turned to her and whispered excitedly as I pulled him close "He spoke!"
Over the past 3 and a 1/2 months little bright eyes has progressed in school and continues to be a sweet and loving little boy. He's a quick learner and is one of the first in the 2's class to go to first position on his own, he loves dance class and his face lights up as he runs to jump over the river.
A month ago the children were playing with chalk. We'd been working on horizontal lines and vertical lines and to my amazement little bright eyes began to draw little horizontal and vertical lines on the black gate with his green piece of chalk!!! We all praised him and like the little sweetheart that he is he gave us a little smile, acknowledging the praise and went back to work; vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal.
Whenever I've had a rough day it always seems little bright eyes knows and will come at the end of the day to sit with me and wait for his parents to come pick him up. He'll play with my hair, snuggle up against me and the love from his little heart just seems to pour out on me.
Yesterday he'd waited for the two kids that had "stolen" my lap before him to be picked up, as soon as they left he toddled over and climbed up onto my lap. I snuggled him close and asked him if he'd had a good day, his usual whispered answer met my ear and I felt like I needed to interact with him more and get him to say something else. So I turned him around on my lap to face me. I held his hands and began play "This is the Way the Gentlemen Ride" (the child sits on you lap as you bounce them slowly for ladies, medium for Gentleman, fast for Jockey and than rock them side to side for Old man and let them fall backwards at the end) As soon as I started his face broke into a bright, toothy grin and he began to laugh! I'd heard him laugh a handful of times but it was always just a short little laugh when I tickled him or when he'd get really excited and the rest of his class were laughing. We played this several times and as another little girl was passing by who I always play Kote Ou (Where are you?/Peek-a-Boo) I put my hand over his eyes and said "Kote ou?".... "Voila! Mwen wè ou!" he laughed again and he couldn't stop smiling that wide, toothy smile. After a bit I told him it was his turn, I placed my hands over my eyes and he grabbed my wrist; I told him he had to say the words or "it wouldn't work" I waited for a moment and then came his tiny voice "Kote Hope?" a little bit louder than a whisper!
It's easy to let little things slip by us or to not take something very seriously. But the little things count. A child thats brave enough to be pushed a little harder and higher on the swings, the older child that helps a younger one down from the gazebo or helps them finish eating and takes them to the bathroom, the child that closes and folds their hands for prayer instead of wiggling around, the child that chooses to obey when others don't, the one that eats all their food, the one thats brings your attention to a child in pain or with a fever. All the children that hug you for the first time or say something new. The one that used scissors correctly though their paper is almost shredded. They should all be praised, noticed and shown some love because believe it or not; it makes a huge difference.
So, open your eyes this weekend, find the person working hard without any encouragement and encourage them. Find the little, beautiful moments that are worth praise. And hug someone because everyone needs a hug.
