The power of storytelling

After being cooped up in his car seat and stroller while we were on our way back from New Jersey Sunday night, Aadil needed room to kick around and stretch. We knew the perfect place. We discovered on our flight to New Jersey that there is a Yoga Room at Midway Airport, so we visited during our layover last night.

We spread his blanket on top of a yoga mat and instantly he was off and kicking. I could already feel his tension vanishing as he burned off his energy. I could feel mine dissipating, too.

A little while later, while he was playing, a woman opened the door and walked in to the room. She and her husband were looking for a place to stretch, she said. She picked up a book she found in the room and asked if he wanted to hear a story. Her husband sat on the floor and she lay down and began to read.

Word for word and page after page, Aadil listened. I’ve read to him since he was born so he recognizes when it’s story time. Her voice was soothing and relaxing, and the ambiance of the Yoga Room combined with the music and images of trees on a screen created such a peaceful environment. As Amar sat next to him on the ground and I sat on the bench and watched, we all listened to the story. We were captivated. The message was so perfect for today’s busy society. It was a reflection on finding silence with your children. I wanted to take a picture of the whole scene as it was unfolding, but instead I watched and listened closely. After the story ended, the woman began practicing yoga and we packed up to leave for our flight and said farewell. It was just a few shared moments, but it was truly beautiful.

I took a picture of the cover of the book so I could remember the moment. It is titled The Boy Who Searched for Silence.

Later, before we boarded our flight to Grand Rapids, Aadil was once again in need of a distraction while we waited. From memory, I recited the words to If I Were a Bunny Rabbit. He stopped, listened and smiled, as did a woman sitting across from me who was listening, too. When that book finished, I pulled out a gift Aadil received from my purse: another book, this one about dinosaurs.

I’m so happy Aadil already knows the power of a good story. He knows how stopping everything to get lost in the pages can lift your mood, provide a much needed escape and take you to a brand new place. In the middle of a full day of travel and toward the end of the night, a story from a stranger and a couple good books made our return trip home memorable.