Tuesday, August 09, 2005

The Power of the Smile

It's really a pity I didn't know about the existence of weblogs three years ago: I would have almost certainly started a journal chronicling the growth of my son, who is now three. I wouldn't necessarily have given a blow-by-blow account of his development, but I certainly would have etched into cyberspace the little vignettes that I have often shared with friends and family at the occasional gathering.

Now that I've been blogging for a little under a year now, I think it would be criminal for me to not write so much as a few paragraphs on the joy of having a baby in the house all over again.

Don't get me wrong: being father to a toddler is still as exhilarating as it can be exasperating. I often swell with pride when other parents express amazement at how articulate little Raphael has turned out to be. I've made it one of my goals to acquiant him with the alphabet, and so far I think we're making good headway. He's got letters A to O down pat, with X and S thrown in for good measure.

But there's something about my youngest, baby Tala, that just drew me to this keyboard: her smile.

At barely two months, this kid has become extremely generous with her mirth. When Apel was that age he smiled too, but catching sight of one was something of a feat. He didn't exactly do it on request.

I don't know if it's the formula I've put this one on, but she seems to smile whenever someone enters the room. It's the most amazing thing, and in this troubled time, one of the best things to look forward to on any given day. It's things like this that make me truly cherish fatherhood.

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and see if I can get some more of that little sunshine in a bottle. For anyone with kids, enjoy this little aspect of parenthood because it's absolutely free, and will make you realize that whatever struggles you might have to endure to make ends meet for your families...it's worth it.

2 comments:

Ryan said...

one of the bad things of being far away is not being able to keep in contact with friends.
it's too bad you have no pictures posted so i can't see the things you describe. i'm sure her smile is beautiful. being a father is nothing less than wonderful and something i'd like to be. i just hope time doesn't run out before i get the chance.
belated hapberday nga pala. sorry i've become self absorbed in my quest for self-actualization.

Jim Arroyo said...

Thanks, and don't worry about it. In these trying times, we can all be forgiven for a little preoccupation. I'll be happy to post pictures from my dad's computer, where I've saved some, but I'm not always able to use it. Stay tuned!