Tuesday, August 20, 2013

The feels

Last week I was behind this dad and his son while waiting for the GO bus at Oshawa GO Station. I gathered they had returned home early from an afternoon Blue Jays game.

The son has Down's Syndrome. He seemed to be my age - late 30s.

He held onto his dad's hand and told him how happy he was they went to the game. Then he paused for a second and said, rather matter-of-fact, "I liked it better when mom came. Right, Dad? That was fun."

His dad didn't say anything.

On the bus, I sat in the seat behind them, not on purpose, it's just how it worked out.

"Do you think Mom watches the games from Heaven, dad?" His son asked.

He father put his arm around him.

"I miss her too", he said as he patted his son's shoulder.


He repeated the sentence several times. Then both of them fell silent, the father's arm never moving from his son's shoulder.

I was so moved that I took a photo of the reflection so I could share this. This kind of love... protection ... His son was obviously still struggling with the loss.

I admit, I have a soft spot for this kind of stuff.

We get so worked up in life, about silly things. This blog shows how I can let a lot of first-world commuting problems bother me to the point that I joke about chainsaws and blow torches. But then you witness a moment like this and you feel humbled, almost embarrassed.

Anyhow, I'm off to go punch some drywall. I can't handle all these "feels".

9 comments:

  1. FuskAugust 20, 2013 at 9:27 AM

    This brought tears to my eyes. As much as I complain about things like our commute, there isn't one day that goes by that I don't take some time to reflect about how truly lucky most of us are. Thanks for the great story.

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  2. MATTAugust 20, 2013 at 9:33 AM

    This is a sad, touching story. I couldn't have said it better myself. I don't emote. I'm stoic to a fault, and it drives my wife crazy. When something happens that does tap my emotional well, it tends to explode out of me to an unreasonable extent. I try to keep it to a managable level by doing things like...well...punching some drywall every now and again blow off some steam.

    Just re-read it...still sad, still touching.

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  3. SquigglesAugust 20, 2013 at 9:36 AM

    I am pretty certain someone started cutting onions in here.

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  4. AnonymousAugust 20, 2013 at 9:49 AM

    I can't handle the feels either.

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  5. PeterAugust 20, 2013 at 12:13 PM

    Thank you for sharing this, Cindy. There are lots of onions over here, too, Squiggles. :'-(

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  6. BickyAugust 20, 2013 at 12:58 PM

    Onions in my office too, it seems.

    Very touching.

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  7. AliciaAugust 20, 2013 at 4:52 PM

    Thanks so much for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. skin ManAugust 21, 2013 at 8:08 AM

    Such a wonderful contrast to the current story about the upset mother in Newmanville(sp?)who sent that letter to the Grandmother of the child with autisim.

    love the story

    ReplyDelete
  9. timAugust 21, 2013 at 8:46 AM

    I was thinking the same myself, skinman

    ReplyDelete

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