Member-only story
Elegy for the Children
I have you fast in my fortress
When I saw the grinning woman with the smartly dressed chihuahua, I thought of Mother Teresa’s wisdom: “Peace begins with a smile.”
The woman was watching a child dance in front of holiday performers beside a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in the plaza. My wife and I were there to enjoy the festive atmosphere and squeeze in some last-minute Christmas shopping.
I brought along my trusty rangefinder camera, which I held up before asking the woman, “May I take your photo, you two make quite a picture?”
“Sure,” she said, inching her little dog closer.
“Ah, to be a child again,” the woman said as she pointed to the little girl dancing and laughing near the elegantly dressed musicians. “We forget what it’s like to be innocent and happy,” she added.
“Yes, we do,” I replied.
I turned and raised my camera to capture the girl’s delight as she danced. She moved too fast for me to gain focus, but maybe the image is better that way.
It captures the fleeting nature of childhood.
That blur of early life where we live in the moment, entranced by marvelous discoveries and mysteries in the world. A brief rapture when life is uncomplicated, and we feel safe and…
