The Mother’s Glance

I saw the mother and son as I was walking into the store.
He was talking a mile a minute.
He was explaining something about Star Wars to his mother.
She was not saying any words; she just made simple sounds of agreement as he continued.

I had no idea what the little boy was talking about.
I have seen most of the Star Wars movies; however, I am not an aficionado.
I was smiling as I watched them.
I remember conversations like that when my boys were young.

A mother is interested in what her children are saying.
A mother is interested but her mind is also thinking of a zillion things at the same time.
A mother is the quintessential multi-tasker.
She has to be or nothing would ever get done.

The little boy was old enough to open the back door of the car by himself.
She watched as he went around the passenger side of the car.
He climbed in and fumbled with his seat belt.
All the while, he continued to talk about Star Wars.

It was then she saw me approaching.
She was at the driver’s side door by this time.
I could still hear him talking as he shut the car door.
She looked over the top of the car and gave me a mother’s glance.

There really is such a thing.
There are no words exchanged.
There doesn’t need to be, since the glance itself is enough.
The mother’s glance can tell an entire story with one eye roll.

I enjoy that non-verbal language.
It says more than words could ever say.
One mother to another, bonding and encouraging each other with a glance.
The mother’s glance is something that lets us know we have a kindred spirit.

Anne Shirley of Green Gables had a kindred spirit in her friend, Diana Spencer.
Kindred spirits are hard to come by.
If you find one, you have found a treasure.
The mother’s glance allows us to have a kindred spirit in that snap shot of a moment.

Sometimes, that moment of understanding is all you need.
It is enough to know that you are not alone.
It is enough to know that someone else has been there.
It is enough to know that there are other adults in your world.

There was not a hint of annoyance in her mother’s glance.
In fact, this mother was quite amused.
This mother was trying so hard not to laugh at her son’s excitement.
His Star Wars story was very important to him and he wanted to share it with her.

It is so important to look people in the eye when they talk to you.
It is a skill we have to teach our children, since it doesn’t always come naturally.
I was interested in what my children wanted to say.
However, the days could be long and with five of them, I got tired.

Keep looking in their eyes, I remember telling myself.
Keep yourself interested, I would think as my mind wandered.
I was interested, but dinner had to be made and homework had to be checked.
I was interested, but another load of laundry had to be done and clothes had to be folded.

The quintessential multi-tasker.
That should be on every mother’s job description.
The mother at her car knew that I knew.
Our mother’s glance to each other said it all.

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance.  And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them.  Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.”  But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.”  And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”  And he went out and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)

There is a special Greek word that Luke uses to describe the way Jesus looked at Peter.
Luke, the Gospel writer, uses the word, emblepo.
It is a word that means, to see with your mind.
Jesus knew Peter’s weakness but Jesus also knew Peter would be restored.

I thought about the word emblepo as I walked into the store.
It is a knowing look.
It is a look that is straight in the eye.
It is a look that says you see beneath the surface of things.

The mother’s glance is a knowing glance.
It says, I understand and I’ve been there, too.
It says, You’re not alone.
Words do not have to be exchanged; it’s just nice to know that another mother knows.