Muffins with Mom – Relaxing - a mother and son experience

Who amongst us does not appreciate a relaxing moment? Relaxing can look different to each of us. It may be a morning a walk, an evening with feet propped up and reading a good book, or casting a fishing line into a lake of fish.

I discovered recently that my son and I relax in similar ways…sometimes in strange encounters. For me it happened while I received a makeover, sitting on a tall stool, in the middle of a department store.

The make-up artist dabbed, smoothed and swept colors across my face. As she worked with liners and shadows, she asked me to close my eyes. I followed directions. It was then that I drifted into a comforting slumber.

After a few minutes, I felt my head drop and my body begin to lean forward. I had to catch myself from rolling off the stool and onto the floor. The gentle massage of my eyelids had sent me into a relaxing REM (rapid eye movement) state. You know, that time just before you awake, but you’re in the middle of a dream.

It doesn’t take much for me to relax, rub an arm, massage a shoulder (or n eyelid), and I may go limp like a rag doll. Apparently there’s power in a touch. My son shared with me the story of what happened at his recent appointment to have his hair re-twisted (the process to keep his dreadlocks intact).

As the locticion pulled, twisted, and tucked, my son’s eyes closed. After a few moments, his head dropped. No, he was not in prayer. He was asleep. It was a deeper sleep than I experienced. My son jerked his body forward and almost leapt from his chair.  He dreamt he was in a fighting situation.

My son blinked his eyes a few times, then realized he was still sitting in a chair having his dreadlocks touched up. He was relaxed enough slip into a dream state with no worries of what was going on around him. It was the same for me as my eyes were soothed by the make-up artist.

On the same day, in two different locations, my son and I were in a state of relaxation. Call it our quirky genetic trait, but we can fall asleep anywhere. This is just one relaxation style that we share. There are others that are more fun.

 

What does your relaxing moment look like?