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Chapter 6 Continued
One evening, before we put Raun
to bed, we sat with him in our bedroom and watched
him walk around and play with our shoes. Suddenly,
passing in front of the mirror, he became captivated
by an image he saw there. Although he had certainly
passed by the mirror many times, tonight something
notably different happened. He stopped, startled by
his own image. For the first time, he appeared mesmerized
by a commanding form - the full-length reflection
of himself.
He surveyed his image cautiously.
He moved back and forth from left to right. He walked
directly to the mirror and touched his reflection
nose to nose. His eyes beamed like electric lights.
He moved out of the path of the mirror, then slowly
looked back into it. As he did, he met his own face,
saw his own eyes. He moved directly forward again,
touched his belly to the belly of the child in the
mirror, then tipped his head to the mirror as the
twin facing him duplicated his movement with absolute
precision. Suddenly, he emitted a wild, unfamiliar
shout - a cry of incredible excitement and joy. He
began to grunt and laugh with elation. Raun Kahlil
had discovered himself. I turned to Samahria, amazed
and dazzled. Tears streamed down her face. I felt
wetness under my own eyes and realized that I, too,
was crying. The first day of creation - a new dimension.
Raun had found himself, and it was a joyful experience.
Through the tears, we continued to
observe our son. He played interactively with his
image in a way that he had never before done with
anyone or anything else. This sweet little boy made
huge sweeping circles with his arms, engaged not only
in his own movement but also in the motion reflected
in the mirror. He stuck out his tongue, then shook
his head and giggled. He jumped up and down, animated
and engaged, softly babbling some primitive language
as he continued to play hide-and-seek with himself.
Then he explored his hands, his feet,
and his hair very carefully. As he touched different
body parts, his reflected self did the same. He picked
up his pajama top to expose his chest and tummy to
his new partner. For twenty beautiful and gripping
minutes, Raun said hello to himself. He discovered
the oasis in the desert - himself. The months we spent
working with him had prepared him for this very moment;
he had readied himself each time he reached out for
fleeting moments to touch his environment. This time,
he enjoyed the encounter immensely.
Samahria and I spent a quiet and
dreamy evening together. We drove to the beach and
walked along the seashore as the Atlantic pounded
the sand. No need to talk. We held each other's hands
as we strolled. Moontides rocked the ocean back and
forth, creating huge waves. Glimmers of light bounced
between us as we moved through the thick mist. Ebb
tide.
Chapter
6 Continued »» |
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