She is only five or six. Blonde haired. Green jacket with two big red fabric flower pockets on the front.
Her mother is in her late twenties. Harried looking. She is talking into her cellphone as the two get on the C-Train.
There is an empty seat behind me. The mother motions to the little girl to sit while she stands beside her, still talking on the phone.
“Mommy. I want you to sit with me,” the little girl says.
The mother keeps talking on her phone.
“Mommy. I want you to sit with me,” the little girl repeats.
The mother keeps talking.
The little girl’s voice gets louder, more strident.
“I want you to sit with me.”
The mother stops for a moment and tells her daughter to be quiet.
The little girl repeats her request. Louder again. More whine in her tone.
The mother keeps talking.
And they repeat.
And repeat.
My stop comes and I get off and notice the passenger beside the little girl getting off too. The little girl scoots over. The mother sits down, still talking on her phone. The little girl grabs her arm.
I wonder what she’ll ask for next as I leave the train and continue on with my day.
I witnessed this scene play itself out yesterday as I rode the C-train into the downtown core and I wondered. Did the little girl really want her mother to sit down, or did she just want her to pay attention to her? Was her, “I want you to sit with me,” just another cry for her mother to “Look at me! Look at me!”?
At one point, a story of how her mother couldn’t sit down because mother’s can never sit down, flit through my mind.
The mice who run the wheels who make the C-train work would stop running in their tracks and want to sit with your mother too if your mother sat down, I wanted to tell the little girl. Mice are like that. They run and run around in circles until someone sits and then everyone follows suit. Wouldn’t that be horrible if all the mice running the wheels stopped and tried to sit on your mother! Oh my, what a scene that would be.
And btw, I’m not fond of mice on C-trains. Are you?
I never told the little girl the story. I never did anything other than listen in and wonder, how much am I like that little girl and mother? How often do I ignore the world around me as I go about my day all wrapped up in the conversations I’m having in my head, or on my phone?
Sometimes, our thoughts can be like the imaginary mice running around in circles in the wheels of the C-train. They make the wheels go round and round, but going round and round can lead to spinning out of control when done in mindless following of the path of least resistance.
Sometimes, we’ve got to put away our phones, turn off our laptops, the TV, the radio and other devices of mass distraction and simply sit still and be present in the moment of breathing.
Sometimes, we’ve got to let go of busy and simply be present to our inner child’s calling for attention.
Dare Boldly 
I’ve been intentional about being present for the last couple of years or so. I’m not always present, but have enjoyed the moments that I am – good post Louise! ❤
Diana xo
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Your intention is so beautiful Diana. Like you — I am not always present but when I am, I so enjoy the moment! ❤
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Louise..I love how you can place your soul right into that little girl’s situation…you are so very aware of other’s feelings…other soul’s troubles. I want you to know you make them better with the love and compassion you send…even if you don’t say a word! Much love to you dear married lady ♡♡♡
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Thank you for what you wrote Lorrie. I love how you see so deeply into the hearts of others and shine a light so they too can see in the darkness. Many hugs from this married lady! 🙂 xo
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Thank you Louise, that is most beautiful and it touches me so!! ❤
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beautifully painted little story
when scenes like that leap out at us – methinks it is because we relate the feeling we perceive the child had
powerful
cathartic
a short story in the making perhaps?
genre: children’s book, or psychology?
title: stories from the train of thought
have a great day
give some ideas away …
Cheers,
Mark
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Love your idea Mark!
Thank you.
and yes, I can so related to that little girl, and the mother!
have a great day.
you’ve already given an idea away — how thoughtful is that!
Hugs
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I’m always infuriated when I see parents and caregivers pushing kids in strollers and not engaging with the children yet totally engaged in conversations on their phones or into their music. What happened to singing, pointing out birds, acting silly, etc.? Kids lose here, sadly.
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It can be saddening can’t it Lisa? Yet, I remember those harried days when my daughters were young — getting to work time could be challenging! It was so important to stop, breathe and be present with my daughters to create a harmonious start to our day. Hugs
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So very true. We live in such a distracted world. I like to sit and listen the silence, gaze at the nothingness. Right now, I am really missing all that.
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It is one of the challenges of living in a city Mary — the distractions are constant and finding the space to sit and listen the silence can be daunting.
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I often feel like a mice running in circles………….
Some mothers though are more interested in having a chat with a friend then listening to their child
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I know that feeling Joanne! I think that was what struck me about the woman and her child yesterday. It’s so easy to get caught up in the running in circles.
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What a beautiful observation and reflection, Louise! Thank you! xo
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Thank you Liz! ❤
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Louise, a co-worker recently told me about a similar situation — her 7-year-old daughter looked her in the eye and told her, “Look at me.” Mom got the message!
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