It feels just like yesterday the day I found out I was going to be an aunt. At the moment I was in Dunedin, New Zealand to spend Christmas with parts of my Australian hostfamily and a good friend from Canada and I remember standing at the beach looking out the ocean when I got to hear the news through the phone. My eyes welled up with tears as I made sure that it really was true. I cried mostly happy tears, but also because I knew that this was going to make it so much harder for me to live overseas. She was born two weeks after I returned to Finland, so she’s pretty much been here for as long as I have been back, which is two years (can’t believe you’re two years old already!). She was named Moana, which means ocean in Maori (an official language in New Zealand) and I can’t help thinking that I actually was in New Zealand looking out the ocean when I first heard about her existence. Almost like it was meant to be.
This wonderful fireball full of giggles and playfulness has at times been exactly what I’ve needed to escape my destructive thoughts. She’s helped me to be fully present and given me a break from myself and my thoughts for a while. With her laughs, cuddles, playfulness and just by existing she’s done so much for me, without even knowing it.
It’s something refreshing about spending time with little kids and see the world through their eyes. They don’t ponder about what has been or will happen in the future. They just are and do whatever they feel like doing at that moment. The worst case scenario could be when they have to brush their teeth or when they’re not allowed lollies on a Thursday. If they fall and hurt themselves they cry and if they’re happy they smile and laugh. So when Moana brightens up and smiles when she sees me, crawls into my lap when she wants to read a book or takes me by the hand when she wants me to come and play with her I know it’s genuine. And that feeling is wonderful.
Children are probably the best mindfulness practice in the world. And kittens.