So, anyway, with that said, here’s an Apple commercial that’s been playing a lot lately.
This commercial plays a few minutes before Sam goes up to take his shower, just about every night at least for this past week or so. Whenever this plays, Sam is on the computer, and every time, Sam takes off his headphones and stands over at the edge of the rug - and watches. And he stands there, not with a smile on his face, but not frowning, either. He’s just taking it in.
Usually he’ll make a comment while it’s playing, and even when he doesn’t, he’ll always make a comment when it’s over - and the comment is always some heartfelt variation of, “Aww, I feel bad for Cookie Monster.”
And that in turn sparks some comment from me, something along the lines of, “Boy, that Cookie Monster sure is impatient. It hasn’t even been a minute yet!” And I’ll usually add something along the lines of, “He’s going to be so happy when all of those cookies are done!” Sam usually responds with a vague, “Yeah…”, but his expression doesn’t change and the gears are still turning in his head as he goes back to the computer.
Last night this commercial played, and it played out just like it had the other nights this week. But this time, there was a difference. When the commercial was over, Sam made his usual comments and I made my usual comments. But then Sam commented on the song, saying that he kind of liked it.
So, I told him the name of the song and who it was by, and he goes back to the computer and I see him opening up YouTube and searching around. I go over and help him to spell “Croce” and direct him to what might be a good link. Sam starts listening as I go back and sit on the couch. And I watch as he’s listening. And since this is one of those clips where someone has put static photos to the music - rather than a video of an actual performance, Sam sits, looking down at the floor, and listens intently.
When the song ends, Sam takes off headphones and comments that it was "kind of nice." I agree with him and tell him that the song was popular when I was a teenager - which is met with the usual look of “Are you joking with me right now?”, which is the look I get pretty much any time I mention that I used to be young.
Sam goes up and takes his shower and comes back down and he goes back on the computer, along with his usual nightly snack of an orange. And as he’s sitting there with his headphones on, eating his orange, I see he’s back on YouTube, watching some video of an interview he found, of someone I don’t recognize.
Last night this commercial played, and it played out just like it had the other nights this week. But this time, there was a difference. When the commercial was over, Sam made his usual comments and I made my usual comments. But then Sam commented on the song, saying that he kind of liked it.
So, I told him the name of the song and who it was by, and he goes back to the computer and I see him opening up YouTube and searching around. I go over and help him to spell “Croce” and direct him to what might be a good link. Sam starts listening as I go back and sit on the couch. And I watch as he’s listening. And since this is one of those clips where someone has put static photos to the music - rather than a video of an actual performance, Sam sits, looking down at the floor, and listens intently.
When the song ends, Sam takes off headphones and comments that it was "kind of nice." I agree with him and tell him that the song was popular when I was a teenager - which is met with the usual look of “Are you joking with me right now?”, which is the look I get pretty much any time I mention that I used to be young.
Sam goes up and takes his shower and comes back down and he goes back on the computer, along with his usual nightly snack of an orange. And as he’s sitting there with his headphones on, eating his orange, I see he’s back on YouTube, watching some video of an interview he found, of someone I don’t recognize.
Without me asking, Sam turns around, shifts his headphone and tells me that “This guy is Jim Croce's son. His name is A.J.” And he slips the headphone back on and listens for a minute or two more and then he turns again and tells me how his son never knew his Dad. And how his Dad died in an airplane crash. And I talked about this for a minute or two and then Sam turned and went back to listening. A few minutes later, he tells me that apparently A.J. once had a brain tumor “or something” and was blind for a while.
It went on like this pretty much through the rest of the video. And when it was over, Sam went onto other videos - all the way up until bedtime.
Sam has done this kind of thing before. Kenny Rogers and other things come to mind. I love when something like this happens. I love that low-key, subtle spark that happens when he is intrigued by something new. And I love it when he takes it upon himself to casually look a little deeper. And I especially love the fact that he must have been thinking about this while he was up taking his shower.
Sometimes it's easy to think that Sam's not engaged - especially if he has his headphones on and he's sitting in front of the computer. There nights where not a lot gets said, and someone that doesn’t know any better might think that there isn’t a lot of communication going on. But the thing is - it’s there. You have to watch for it and, I think, most of all, you have to be available when the opportunities come. Sometimes, you have to create those opportunities, and sometimes, Sam creates them for you - if you're listening.
And if and when the questions come out, I know they won't come out like a torrential rain, they'll come out like a gentle mist. But you can use that opportunity to plant some seeds and the mist might turn into a gentle sprinkle and the questions might lead to conversations and the conversations might sprout - and maybe they'll even blossom.
It went on like this pretty much through the rest of the video. And when it was over, Sam went onto other videos - all the way up until bedtime.
Sam has done this kind of thing before. Kenny Rogers and other things come to mind. I love when something like this happens. I love that low-key, subtle spark that happens when he is intrigued by something new. And I love it when he takes it upon himself to casually look a little deeper. And I especially love the fact that he must have been thinking about this while he was up taking his shower.
Sometimes it's easy to think that Sam's not engaged - especially if he has his headphones on and he's sitting in front of the computer. There nights where not a lot gets said, and someone that doesn’t know any better might think that there isn’t a lot of communication going on. But the thing is - it’s there. You have to watch for it and, I think, most of all, you have to be available when the opportunities come. Sometimes, you have to create those opportunities, and sometimes, Sam creates them for you - if you're listening.
And if and when the questions come out, I know they won't come out like a torrential rain, they'll come out like a gentle mist. But you can use that opportunity to plant some seeds and the mist might turn into a gentle sprinkle and the questions might lead to conversations and the conversations might sprout - and maybe they'll even blossom.
They may not be long conversations, not by your standards or mine, but they’re long conversations by Sam’s. And most of all, they’re all important and they all matter. But you have to watch for them because sometimes they'll grow from something as simple as a commercial staring Cookie Monster.
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