little boy with big brown eyes

 

He has about the most gentle and loving spirit I’ve ever encountered in a child, and each time I photograph him I come away with the strong feeling that somehow I’ve known him–really known him, for a very long time. Which might seem peculiar to some considering he’s barely three years old and I‘ve maybe spent eight cumulative hours with him over the course of those short years. Even still, he feels so familiar to me that I’m always genuinely happy for the opportunity to hang out and photograph him once again.

If I really think about it though, I experience this same sense of remembering with many of the children I photograph, although generally it’s more subtle…..so subtle at times that I can miss the feeling if I don’t take the time to notice it quietly permeating my skin and gently warming my insides. And since I really don’t like to miss this sort of feeling, I observe closely both myself and my little subjects for sparks of recognition.

As for this little boy with big brown eyes, the feeling of warm familiarity is so immediate and unmistakable that I can’t possibly miss it no matter how distracted I might otherwise be. When we connect with another like that, whether it be for an hour or a year or a lifetime, it’s a gift to be treasured. It’s heavenly.

 
~Cynthia