The Mother s Smile

From birth the intimate face-to-face encounters of life form each person in a natural everyday philosophy. Mother's delighted welcome invites her tiny child into a fundamental vision of reality and models flourishing involvement with it. Sustained and matured in the gaze of certain friends throughout life seeing oneself being seen with delight grows a yes to the world a sense of one's existence a regard for others and a lifelong desire for the face of God. In this modern age skewed by a philosophy of isolation suspicion and critique returning to a primal philosophy of welcome brings personal and cultural healing. It heightens wonder and wisdom professional and every-day. And it means that people render profound philosophical service when they delight in their children and friends.