During a recent lunch at Tucker’s in New London, I was seated at a small corner table facing the inside of the restaurant. Directly in front of me, a young couple with a baby were at a table enjoying their meal. As I was seated, the baby turned her neck to the left and looked directly into my eyes.
She locked onto me with laser vision, the way only babies can, eyes wide open, intent, interested and unblinking. When I returned her gaze, she gave me a little smile, looked away and back again quickly, as if confirming she had found a human who was also interested in her.
After a minute, the baby’s mother and father looked over to see what their child was staring at. I smiled and asked what age their child was and learned she was eight months old. I told them I had three granddaughters and that their child was beautiful. The mom smiled, the dad was reserved. The baby and I continued our mind-meld until they left, with smiles again from baby and mother.
Locking eyes with a baby can be disconcerting. It rarely happens in the grown-up world. Most people avert their eyes from another’s, preferring to move through space with anonymity. It’s a dangerous world. Who knows what the intention of strangers could be?
I felt fortunate to have had the attention of that small child. No other diner had been so graced or had seemed to notice her. I wondered what type of life the child would have and whether our paths would ever cross again.
When our children and grandchildren were born, I held all of them the day they came into the world. Right from birth, babies have that all-encompassing gaze, as if they are looking directly into your heart and mind.
When our oldest granddaughter was a baby, I delighted in taking her out in public. As soon as she was able to sit up in a shopping cart, she joined me on those expeditions. She was curious about all the shiny boxes on the shelves and just as interested in all the people milling about. Now and then someone would stop and marvel at her outfit and pause to say hello. They were invariably greeted with an expression of appreciation from me and a big smile from Eliza. It surprised me how few people acknowledged the little angel traveling with me.
When she was nine months old, I started bringing Eliza to the Blackwater Junction Diner in Wilmot for a weekly lunch. She became a celebrity. The waitresses brought her into the kitchen to greet the cooks. The regulars got accustomed to her presence over the years and were so disappointed when our schedules changed.
The child at Tucker’s reminded me of my godson, Liam, years ago when he just turned two. After devouring his meal at Pizza Chef, Liam would go on a walkabout, greeting the other diners. Pausing at each table, he looked directly into their eyes with such a genuinely loving smile they could not help but smile back. The first time this happened, I wondered if anyone would be upset by the intrusion. But, they weren’t then, and never were after.
Liam’s open gaze touched those whose meal he momentarily interrupted. Complete strangers received his unconditional love with gratitude. He smiled at everyone, no matter the age. He was like a young pope making the rounds.
During that period, I brought Liam to MainStreet BookEnds in Warner. In my arms at the checkout, Liam locked eyes with the store’s owner. Liam made a small move towards her. She looked at me in surprise, wanting to take him in her arms, but needing permission.
I passed Liam over and he wrapped his arms around her with a hug that had us misty eyed, touched by the power of that unexpected moment. She handed him back after a minute, beaming with joy.
Next time you encounter a baby or child in a restaurant or the supermarket, take a moment and appreciate the majesty of the new life gazing at you. It is our responsibility, and a gift, to appreciate these fleeting opportunities to connect.
(Sol Solomon lives in Sutton.)