Friday, January 22, 2010

Image of God


I’ve seen this (perhaps you have, too): Two young children, perhaps siblings sitting side by side, engrossed, in their own space and tiny world, coloring, braiding a doll’s hair, rolling a train engine on a track, imitating an adult activity. One of them reaches for something in the other’s space. The sibling who’s space has been invaded moves the thing away – “that is mine.”  The invader is angered because she’s didn’t get what she wanted and clocks or bites her sibling hard, who cries and does a little (not even a big) pay-back, perhaps a neck squeeze or a push. The initial transgressor is completely undone by this and has a complete melt-down – I’ve been wronged. If you go herehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vupEpNjCuY you can watch these two babies at the beginning of this movie trailer. Isn’t this, in a way, a powerful and charming affirmation of our common humanity across cultures – the universal challenge of getting along in community? These two babies are less than a year old. And look at what they’re playing at! Pounding maize on a metate?! Modeling their mothers! Why am I so delighted? This has made my day and I can’t wait for the film to be released in April.

Note Sufjan Stevens on the sound track. "The Perpetual Self"
Thanks to Shaun LaRose for alerting me to this.

3 comments:

Eden said...

Wow, and the "older-sibling-suffering-for-the-younger-sibling's-sins" seems to be a global pattern too! Of course it's always the younger ones who make such a big deal out of a little slap, when they're the ones who did the first wrong! :)

Margie Haack said...

Eden...indeed! We suffer. We forebear. We're nearly perfect.

jenni said...

This looks amazing! Cannot wait to see it.