AT FIRST glance, babies everywhere always appear to look blankly at nothing. But a mother and a Tita whom I know disagree. That may just be what they appear to be doing, they chimed in. Yet observe closely. They observe the world like serious snipers. And if they smile at you, they’re breaking the mode and probably thinking, what a funny face this one has got.
Incidentally, the closest thing to a baby’s expressions for me is from a movie. I’m always reminded of that final scene in the movie shown long ago, 2001: A Space Odyssey. The astronaut Bowman, upon entering the alien monolith for the first time, was wide-eyed and in absolute awe of what lay before him.
The final lines he said then are now permanently cast into meme. “My God, it’s full of stars!” However, let’s just stick to the wide-eyed, full of wonderment description.
That same wide-eyed expression, I’d imagine, out of any baby, perhaps especially if they looked at the world for the first time.
My second-born had been one cool cucumber. So fortunate to be allowed inside the OR during his delivery, I was likewise so happy to accompany the nurse into the adjoining room for his afterbirth bath.
After his first bath, he lay down quietly on the small table with both hands clasped together, with his round eyes casually panning left to right. That might have been the first time I consciously asked the question…what are you thinking about, little man?
My first-born, on the other hand, was a completely different study. While his now-departed grandma and I happily watched him through the nursery’s view mirror, he was like a pocket firecracker, viewing us only for a brief second before bawling wildly as though we’d rudely disturbed him from his peaceful slumber. Or maybe thinking, what funny faces these people have.
Until these days, when I chance upon babies anywhere, I wonder how they really see the world? I must’ve already mentioned many times before, our family seems to never run out of little feet.
At the latest, we’ve a newborn in the clan, cared for by our apo and his wife based in Japan. Although I still need to check again how many great-great-grandchildren my late parents have now, their number weighs heavily on my personal question.
One thing is sure, though: in our family, that’s a lot of babes viewing the world, with totally different views from each other. Again, I’m just imagining how magnificent it would be if we could only get a glimpse of what’s going on in those developing minds.
How I wish our latest bundle of joy, Caleb Jacob, could also read this grandpa’s lament once he’s older. How I likewise wish I’m still here when he does. He might have an answer. The poser also goes out to all of them out there.
