Buddha & enlightenment of a pre-schooler

Our neighbor, Shari, recently put the most elegant looking small statue of a Buddha in her flower garden under a tree. He sits calmly, peacefully, and in perfect contentment on a flat stone that almost makes him appear as if he is floating. When Eric and I were out front he spotted the Buddha immediately. His first comment was "He is in Time Out". I thought about this for a second and said that actually he is time out, not the kind of time out Eric has experienced but a time out from everything except this moment. Buddha is enlightened to his connection to it all. Eric was profoundly correct and didn't even know it. Buddha was detached and connected at the same time.

Kids are always enlightening, forcing us into the present every day, so aware of there surroundings, and so open to the possibilities. Since the first day Eric open his eyes and looked at me (27 weeks)I had this profound feeling that we were about to learn a great deal from each other. Boy was I right. He has looked at me many times with that same look, as if he knows more than I do. In many ways he does. Children have so much to teach us.

Time out was his first reaction to Buddha. Day 2's reaction was "he's crying". Apparently Buddha sent out this emotion that Eric saw as tears. Again, Eric wise beyond his years didn't realize what he just said. Tears are often a release, letting emotions free. I have experienced this release. In yoga when you physically release a tight area in your body that was holding your tension, your anxiety you may find yourself blubbering freely on your mat. My pre-schooler never holds on to his tension. He lets it out regularly, sometimes in public, acting out in ways you sometimes wish were acceptable as an adult (ie throwing your toy across the room because it isn't working - hello!!! computers)

I just got some really good advice from another mom. When you feel the chaos of all the thinking and all the doing (and all the whining) give yourself a time out. Even announce it - and watch you child's perplexed look - and step away until you are able to bring back the perspective and could care less that while you were "away" your child dumped out every toy he owns into the middle of the living room floor. You are now ready to just sit down and play having detached from mess. Good Buddha moment for sure.