A Child’s Pose

Lucky for me, my dad was a camera and photography enthusiast when I was a child. He went so far as to build a darkroom in our house and developed his own black and white photography. I can still remember the smell of the chemical baths, the glow of the orange safelight that was mounted on the wall above the enlarger, and the reams of photo paper stored in resealable black plastic bags. His three children were his favorite subject matter to document. Unfortunately for my brother and sister, I have a much bigger collection of his work than they can stake claim to. Being the firstborn does have its advantages on occasion.

Anyway, I was in the attic looking through my old photo albums the other day and was stopped in my tracks when I came upon this one (above) among many taken of me by my father. I like how exceptionally cozy I look there on the floor with my blanket, quietly watching a kitten drink or eat out of a bowl. What surprises me most about this picture is that I still get in the same fetal position whenever I’m on the floor petting and talking fondly to my dog. I find it remarkable to think how far back in childhood certain patterns can be traced. This position is similar to the “Child’s Pose” in Yoga, a resting pose that helps relieve stress and fatigue. It must have been named so, because of a position that is naturally common among children. From our earliest years, we all develop various patterns of behavior, some beneficial, some not. Changing negative patterns can seem like a life-long task, and maybe it is. It’s nice to remember that we have some good ones, too.