The Little Things that Matter

It all started off as just another eventful day in our lives. Ady made breakfast, I called some customer service guy and spent a good half hour spelling and re-spelling my email id, repeating my questions at different paces, and then finally giving up - I wanted to preserve the last calorie of energy in my body.

Ady dropped D at a birthday party and came back home, because, well, she may have as well asked him to. 

And then, when she finally did decide to come back home, she plonked on the bed, and was sound asleep.  The party must have been exhausting. Aahh... the precious moments before a storm. We had to leave for a friend's house, so when D got up, she noticed she was no longer on her bed. She brushed her hair behind her ears and walked right out of the couch and surveyed the entire place before actually going to the toys that my friend's kid was playing with. 

He's just over a year old, so D was the 'grown up' between the two of them. The two were playing pretty well, when all of a sudden the little boy pulled D's hair with all his might. I expected D to scream and shout and maybe push the child. But... D did not utter a sound. Not a sound. She was quiet the whole time - as if nothing was bothering her. I was shocked. Ady was speechless. Our friends were worried for D and reprimanded their kid, but our darling -she just stayed put. This was unusual - even by D's standards.Now, I know D stopped hitting a long time ago, but anybody in her place would have retaliated. I know I would (so be careful, before you pull my hair). 

On the way home, I had to ask her. "D, why did you not shout or scream when the little boy pulled your hair?"

"Because Mamma", she started "he's small. And I am a good girl". 

That was all- plain and simple. I had tears in my eyes. It was a parenting moment for me. How could this wonderful and patient kid be from my gene pool? I was amazed. Ady, who was listening to our whole discussion, preempted my thought. "My genes" he smiled proudly. 

We reached home, and I was still a proud mother. I should have had some contribution in bringing her up?  And as soon as she washed her hands, she came rushing to me. "You know Mamma, Cream is the baby of the Soap", she said, spilling the liquid soap all over the place.  "There", Ady said, "that's all your genes"

But I did not react. I learnt from my kid. She is small. And I am a good girl.