Truth

Posted on by Live & Learn

Have you ever held a three year old by the hand on the way home from preschool?…

You’re never more important than you are then.

— Fredrik Backman, “Anxious People: A Novel” (Atria Books, September 8, 2020)

Eric Kanigan @ 4 years old. He used to clutch on to his Momma’s hand, tears welling up, before he released her on his way into pre-school. 26 years old now. Still clutching on to his Momma. 🙂

44 thoughts on “Truth”

  3. Smart boy, that Eric (and totally adorable too)…Sophie and I took one of our Monday afternoon walks yesterday and we talked of terribly important things like Komodo dragon tongues, what butterfly poop looks like and where crab apples got their name…and yes, as we held hands and pondered the imponderable, there was no topic more important, no time more precious than our holding hands time.

  4. I gave the good fortune, as a pre-school teacher, to take my kinder by the hand and return them safely to the hand of their parent, and no matter how many times I do this, I never fail to be moved by this, the most powerful of reunions.

  7. Oh, you got me with this! I used to drive with one arm in the backseat holding my son’s hand. Now, he’s 23, has begun his career and becoming his own on his own and I follow my gut and wait for him to call rather than make up a reason to text…ughhh!

  8. My grandson started pre-school yesterday. One morning a week. Outdoors. Covid-style.

    My daughter called me in tears. He held onto the teacher’s hand the whole time, she said. When I picked him up, he wouldn’t even look at me.
    She asked him if he was upset with her for leaving him there.
    He gave a definite shake of his head up and down. Yes, he whispered.

    When I Facetimed with him last night, his tears were long forgotten. He had just come out of his bath. The hood of the dinosaur towel I’d given him at Christmas was draped over his head and he was stomping and roaring around the house ‘making like a dinosaur’. I cried out, (as is our thing) “Oh no! A dinosaur! I’m so scared!” And as is his thing, he giggled and called out. “Again!” And so we did it again. And again. And again.

    I cannot reach through the phone and hold his hand, but I can hold these precious times in my heart. Always.

    Thank you for the beautiful share, and for sharing that delightful photo of Eric. Precious.

  9. Thanks for sharing such an adorable and precious picture of Eric! Must be a handsome young man today! Can’t believe how quickly our children and grandchildren grow!

  12. Love your photo, and all the stories! Brings me back to many (3 children’s worth), but will share how the youngest, who affirmed that he definitely wanted to go to school–the younger group in the nursery school, and so we went. I was “forced” to stay with him for 6 weeks! He was 2 years and 10 months. I was amused and actually enjoyed it. The music teacher was 4’10” and I felt very large in that room (itsy-bitsy spider et.al). They knew he was young but really wanted to be there, and the teachers were very loving. It was an international school attached to the Institute for Advanced Study–maybe why they were extra tolerant…. Addendum: the next year, while they were all out in the playground, Alexander taught a boy with autism how to tie his shoelaces!

  15. What a beautiful post dear David, I am so emotional one, and I almost gone to the past… My son…he is now 38…I can’t believe how time passed… Eric so lovely and at that time he didn’t know but with his lovely smile greetings all of us. Blessing and Happiness to you all, Thank you, Love, nia

  16. Precious moment…So darling 🙂 I love the Joy…all children should have such Joy…I predicted that when the tall, Eric becomes a Father he will be such a great Dad…

  18. Those moments are precious! I’m not a parent yet, but have been a preschool teacher for many years.

  19. The child’s curiosity will grab his attention and cause him to investigate. Yet his parent holds firm to his hand and will give a tug when his curiosity leads him to danger. Likewise, we too have the hand of God our father who ceaselessly has hold of our hand. His gift of free will allows us our curiosities as well. Yet, too, will give us a tug though common sense and prudence when our curiosities lead us to close danger.
    -Alan

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