By: Gabriela Yareliz
Maybe it’s because I am reading Strangers. Or maybe not. It could also be because I am me.
I saw this young man walking down the street with his toddler who was waddling along in a puffy vest and long sleeve shirt, yesterday. The little boy was babbling on about something in a cute toddler voice, his curly hair unruly and going in all directions. The father was holding his hand as he waddled on the uneven sidewalk.
As we passed each other on the sidewalk and made eye contact, I couldn’t help but mentally plead with the father (I literally imagined myself shaking this man by the shoulders)— don’t fuck this up, I wanted to tell him. Don’t abandon this child. Don’t drop and shatter him. Don’t reject him or make him feel unloved. Teach him. Value him. Hold him. Care for him. Nurture him. Laugh with him. He looks just like you. Do right by this little guy, and your lives will be beautiful and full. Because it’s all that matters. It’s all that matters. It’s all that matters.
