I attended a wedding reception party of my colleague. With no one to care for my four-year-old son, I decided to bring him along. Let me tell you, as a child, I was rarely accompanied to such events. As a result, I had a difficult time socializing and was unfamiliar with the dining etiquette of the so-called ‘aristocrats’. Bringing my son to events like this, I thought, would help him learn these skills at a young age.
Being a stickler for punctuality, I arrived at the venue well before the bride did. I had to wander around for a while, waiting for the festivities to begin. Meanwhile, my son was having a blast exploring the space. Squeezed into our tiny room most of the time, he takes any opportunity to run wild when he finds an open space like this.
Soon enough, he met a little girl of almost the same age. Although he tried to avoid her at first, he eventually caved in when he saw she had an ice cream cone in her hand. I didn’t want to interfere, and I’m glad I didn’t. Eventually, they returned, each with an ice cream cone, and they were already friends long before they had even asked each other’s name.
It’s amazing how comfortable it is to make friends during childhood, when it is as easy as sharing an ice cream cone. There’s no drama, no nervousness, and no fear of rejection; just pure emotions. They follow their hearts and allow their pure emotions to guide them towards new connections. I believe, these early friendships lay the foundation for a lifetime of meaningful relationships and are a testament to the beauty of pure and honest connections.
PS: I couldn’t resist taking a picture of my son and his newfound friend sharing ice cream. Who knows? Their ‘lines of destiny’ may cross paths again in the future, and they may look back at this moment with fondness and thank me some day. 😊
