Different kinds of distances

The sushibar was busy, but I managed to find an empty seat. It was very lively, people in work-out gear sucking on waterbottles, mum's with prams, teenagers in school uniforms, business people, and others, maybe like me. On occasion I would feel that I needed to remove myself from the brush and canvas and just mix with people, so I would go to a shopping centre, have something to eat and quietly observe.

There are many kind of distances. There's the distance between earth and other planets, the distance between city to city, country to country, ideas to fruition, thoughts to words, mind to soul, heart to heart. Parent to child, people to animals, human beings to universe and many more I'm sure.

           The paradox of distance is that we can sleep in the same bed, eat at the same table, work in the same cubicle, serve at the same counter, and at the same time be no closer than earth to moon. Yet, we  can also be on opposite sides of the planet, speak different languages, have different beliefsystems and yet be of one mind. A child in the sushibar decided to teach me a lesson on distances.

While his mother was busy with her cellphone, spooning sushi to the boy and checking her purse, the boy decided to show me that the distances we experience can be overcome in one gesture.

Suddenly, and without any warning, he held out his arms towards me, indicating that he wanted me to do something, which I read as; he wanted to make contact. I looked in to the boy's eager eyes, his toothless, sushi-filled gaping mouth, outstretched arms and thought: why not?

The mother observing this unfold, put her phone down, closed her purse, and started to appologize for her son's behaviour; "he's never done this before, I don't know why he is doing this, I'm so sorry" all the while wiping her son's face and fingers. The boy kept his arms outstretched, his eyes locked into mine. I smiled my best smile, and as we smashed the distance between us...we had a "moment". Seconds later the boy was hoisted out of his highchair, strapped back in his pram, the mum back on the cellphone as they vanished out the door. Sometimes maybe the best way to cross a distance is to just stretch out our arms and say nothing.