madonna and child

they were unmistakably happy, the three of them: the baby girl, barely a year old, comfortably seated in her father's lap; the young dad, his left arm securely wrapped around baby's waist; and the young mom, sitting opposite them, eyeing both lovingly.

mom was trying to amuse baby so she won't fall asleep. mom was making funny faces at her. baby laughed her toothless laugh, saliva escaping from her tiny mouth. mom was quick to catch it on her handkerchief. baby was surely enjoying mom's antics. 

what she loved the most was when mom resorted to the peek-a-boo. mom covers her face with both hands so baby can't see her. baby waits patiently, anticipation quietly building up on her cherubic face.  when she least expected it, mom opens up her hands exposing a funny face. baby gets startled, her tiny eyes twinkle at this surprise. her eyebrows rise.  when she realizes, the funny face was mom's, she breaks into a loud guffaw.  she could not contain her glee.  she had to stand up on dad's thigh. dad was alert enough to steady her.  she struggles to reach mom, stretching her chubby arms forward.  dad carefully hands her over to mom.  mother and child squeezes into a warm, tight embrace.  baby's saliva once more escapes her pink lips as she plants a wet kiss on mom.  mom's eyes lighten up and winks at me when she caught me staring.  she's so proud of baby's show of affection.

while having lunch at the office, i replayed this scene in my mind.  i realized, the Infinite, the Mother Beloved, often is like this with us. playing peek-a-boo. and yet, not like the baby girl who recognizes her mom's playful intentions and awaits with bated breath her eventual showing up, we tend to become impatient.  we pout, we whimper,  we wear a frown, and we ruin the moment when Beloved Mother appears to us again.  there is no elation, no welcoming back, no reaching out, to enfold the Infinite in our warm, tight embrace.

instead, we accuse, we question -- why'd you leave? why'd you hide? why'd you forsake me?

thus, by doing so, we fail, at the chance to show we are the Infinite's loving child.