[T]he practice of nonjudgmental, agenda-less presence is the foundation for safety and co-regulation.
~ Bonnie Badenoch
On Wednesday, our daughter interviewed a twenty-nine-year-old for a nanny position. I was there to help with the baby. It was six in the evening, a fussy time.
As I meandered around, the baby spat up occasionally. Immediately, each time, this young woman bounced up to help clean up.
When I was unsuccessful at calming the baby, she offered to take over. The fussiness stopped. It was very humbling for me. Her calm disposition attuned harmoniously to the infant’s nervous system, co-regulating it.
Selflessness in the twenty-somethings is seldom acknowledged. But, I was impressed again at a recent dinner party when our twenty-eight-year-old son, without hesitation, jumped in to take the baby so that his sister could finish her dinner.
Way-to-go millennials! There is hope for future generations.
Closing thoughts
If our hearts are ready for anything, we will spontaneously reach out when others are hurting. Living in an ethical way can attune us to the pain and needs of others, but when our hearts are open and awake, we care instinctively.
It is common to be zoned out - lost in our heads or the task at hand - and oblivious to the needs of others.
But to develop and maintain healthy relationships we must be present.
With open and awakened hearts we will make a positive difference in the lives of others, elevating mood collectively.
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