Making the Feeling Last

How do you create a feeling that lasts even after the memory is gone?

This past weekend, an aunty who I haven't seen in almost 35 years came to visit.

In that time, the sum total of our communication was a comment on the occasional Facebook post.

And yet, this aunt is literally one of my favourite people in the world.

I've been trying to figure out why that is the case - how can someone who I haven't seriously connected with in so long still have such an impression on me?

The answer came when she visited. After a proper chat, she insisted that she wanted to my sons to show her around. I hovered a bit so that I can listen in to their conversation, and what was happening became obvious:

She showed interest in the things they were interested in.

Not the fake interest adults will show to kids to be nice - she was really, truly, interested.

I could see their eyes light up when she asked about their music and sports and games and everything else they wanted to talk about - and I distinctly remember that feeling.

Our kids can live in a world that tells them that the things they think are important actually aren't, so when someone like my aunty cames around and says, "Hold on, tell me more about that!", it is a big deal.

It's the kind of thing that sticks with you for 35 years, so I'm going to do my best to be a little bit more like my aunty today!