Family

Family Fun

Sitting in the food court doing some serious damage to some fried chicken a young mother her toddler son and new baby daughter as well as her mother sat across from me. A lovely family gathering, just out for the day. They could have been Chinese or Singaporean as both countries have squadrons here, but that isn't as important as the dynamic, as that transcends all cultures.

The baby fussed a bit, as babies do and that was the cue for grandma to scoop baby out of the carrier, and her opportunity to show her granddaughter to me. I am a sucker for babies, so after a round of smiling and waving I couldn't help but notice the pride on grandma's face, something endemic to most families (sadly, not all). That is the last I saw of grandma and baby as she took off with the child to make the rounds and show the rest of the court her lovely granddaughter. The love and pride really warmed my heart, another small touching scene in an otherwise thug dominated world.

I would have loved to take a photo ( I carry a camera everywhere), but in our world today, folks take a dim view of old men with cameras taking photos of young children. I do get it, but it pains me to pass by such beauty and love. There's an Israeli photographer I follow on Facebook named Moshe Harosh that does some incredible child photography and portraiture. His technique is masterful, bringing an almost ethereal glow to their faces.

All that aside, it's nice to see families that love and care, paying attention to their children, sharing the love with the grandparents, and generally proud of their kids. These are bound to be successful families that can get past the inevitable squabbles, weather storms, and sit together for a raucous, enjoyable meal at the end of the day.