Have you
ever wondered what a baby thinks as he or she opens their eyes for the first
time in a mother’s arms? Okay, a baby can’t talk, but who says we can’t think
for ourselves even from the very start? We feel reassured, safe...
Ah, but
for how long?
It is one
of humankind's greater tragedies that many children are born into an
environment that will give them neither the love nor care they deserve.
With
luck, we are welcomed into the world with
love. A sense of the power of love passes from mother to child,
and will stay with us always.
Yes, with
luck. Sadly it is not the same for all of us, and we have to look elsewhere to
discover the power of love for ourselves. Some of us do, others never will. There
are so many unwanted children and young people in the world who deserve better.
I have known some people who have gone
through the Care system and not only survived, but done well for themselves.
Yet, I have also known others who have ended up spending most of their lives in
and out of prison, never knowing that wonderful sense of belonging peculiar to family life and being loved as a matter of
course, no matter what. My own family life was flawed (whose isn’t?).Even so, that
immeasurable sense of belonging
helped shape my formative years in a very positive way.
A sense
of belonging should never be underestimated.
Tragically, it drives some young people to become part of a street gang; gangs
are often seen as a substitute family, albeit a poor one. I once knew a
family whose children became involved in a local gang culture. When one of the
sons went to jail for a gang related offence, the parents saw it as a wake-up
call, moved away and set about mending their broken family life. That was
years ago. All the children have turned out well and take their own parental responsibilities
very seriously; their children will
never want for love, care, and a positive sense of direction.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first
thing I saw on opening my eyes
was a
love in my mother’s face
I hadn’t
yet learned the words to describe,
but
sensed I was in a safe place
The first
thing I felt as I opened my eyes
was my
mother’s arms cradling me;
I hadn’t
yet learned the words to describe,
but
sensed it was a good place to be
The first
thought I had on opening my eyes
was that this was but the start
of living
by and learning words to describe
the love
in Earth Mother’s heart
In a
world without words, only its first cries
find
reassurance in well-meant promises
Copyright
R. N. Taber 2008
[Note: This poem was first published under the title Opening Up to Love in Tracking the Torchbearer by R. N. Taber, Assembly Books, 2012.]