Each One Reach One

My organization “Strengthen The Bond” is about Mothers and Daughters healing, connecting, growing, and celebrating each other while strengthening their bond. But, what about when a mother needs help when she can no longer connect with her child. Can another mother step in and help when needed? Or, do that someone really have to be a mother to help when that mother is helpless? Can the child connect or bond with someone else other than his or/her mother when in distress? My flight from Orlando, Florida to Milwaukee, WI was approximately two hours and thirty minutes from take off to touch down. The flight wasn’t to long but long enough for me to do some reading and catch a quick nap…so I thought. I started reading this book but realized I was no longer reading I was watching the back of my eyelids. Meaning I had quickly fallen asleep. In the midst of my nap I heard crying. Literally, I thought it was in my subconscious mind so I’m still napping wondering when the crying would stop. I’m dreaming about the wonderful time I had in Florida but the crying continued. Then, I was wakened by the loud screams of a baby that sounds like he/she was in distress. It wasn’t a dream it was reality.

I sat up in my seat and watched the mother try bouncing the baby up and down the baby kept crying. The dad was seating next to the mother but he kept his head held down the whole time. It appeared to me that he wasn’t even sure what to do. The mom wasn’t a really young mom but I would say she was a new mom. A new mom that was not connecting or bonding with her baby at the time. As the baby screamed to the top of her lungs a lady from the next row stood up and asked the mother could she hold the baby. The mother hesitantly said yes but then she probably figured the lady may be able to help…well, she probably was praying that the lady could. I knew that the baby would connect with the lady it was just my intuition. The lady started talking to the baby while she stood and the baby stopped crying immediately. The baby started smiling and cooing as if she wanted to tell the lady what was wrong. I thought the baby’s ears may have been hurting due to the altitude of which the plane was flying and it was.

Within a spit second the baby took her little hands and started pulling at her ears. The lady asked the mom for her bottle but the mom never produced it so I’m not sure if she had one. The baby was still quiet and staring at the lady as if to say “I’m so glad someone is standing and listening to me”. As I looked at the mother she looked confused. But, she then got out of her seat and took the baby back from the lady and stood while rocking the baby to sleep. Now, I thought about that old cliché saying “It takes a village to raise a child”. Although, the nice lady was not part of the mom’s village it comes a time when one may have to step in when needed. I’m not sure if the lady was a mom or not but what I do know is she connected with that baby. She stood with that baby, she talked to that baby, and the baby listened and tried to talk back. So, can an infant or child connect or bond with someone else in the time of distress? I would say “Absolutely Yes”! Each One Reach Out To One And Teach One. When you’re in a place in life when you’re down or you think you’re out of luck please don’t give up. It can take one person to step in and help out or emotionally lift you up.