Anand loves going to the mall and walking. I don’t know what the connection is with mall walking, but that’s his thing. For years, his dad would drive him, and Anand would walk for 90 minutes, change in the mall restroom, and then they’d head back home.
While Anand walked, Dad would sleep or read in the car. I, on the other hand, was never very thrilled about the idea, so I usually did my own thing. A couple of times I tagged along, but honestly, it just wasn’t fun for me.
I’ve been nudging Anand to take the train and go wherever he wants, but with Dad always ready to drive, why would he bother trying something new? This little “mall routine” even became a point of argument between Anand and me (or really, between me and Mr. Husband). Dad’s philosophy was always, “Anand will do it when he’s ready.” Mine was, “He won’t be ready unless we push him a little.”
Finally, in one of those arguments, Dad gave in. He told Anand that if he wanted a mall trip by car, he first had to take one train ride to Boston. Honestly, I think he only said it to shut me up.
Little did he know how Anand would react. A couple of months ago, Anand did try a solo train ride from Boston, but he switched lines, ended up taking different line, and panicked. Dad had to drive a few miles to get him. After that, Anand swore off trains.
But this time, because Dad put his foot down, Anand had no choice.
So, last weekend, Anand—reluctantly and a little annoyed with me, convinced it was all my idea—took the train into Boston. He walked around on his own and came back safely. The trip went so smoothly that by the time he got home, he was already planning his next adventure.
This Saturday, he pushed it further—he took the Green Line from Newton into the city. Roamed around Seaport enjoying a trip to Museum of Icecream and took the commuter rail back.
Then on Sunday, he added another layer: he took the ferry from Boston to Hingham Shipyard. He had it all planned—tickets booked by Thursday, schedule sorted. He even had lunch at his favorite spot: Wahlburgers headquarters.
Google Maps and Google Earth—you’ve been lifesavers. I’m so grateful.
It’s been an experience for all of us—learning when to let go, when to give a gentle nudge, and when to push a little more firmly.
No comments:
Post a Comment