Someone Always Sees

My son is four years old and he is fascinated by superpowers. What fascinates him even more are my Mommy Superpowers. In particular, he is amazed at my ability to know what he is doing when he thinks he is invisible or being sneaky. Last night, I told him that when I was a child, my mother had taught me the lesson, “Someone Always Sees”. She told me that even if she didn’t see what I was doing, Someone would. Whenever I did something and thought it was unwitnessed, I should remember that “Someone Always Sees”.

As a child, I took that to mean that I couldn’t get away with anything. If I tried to misbehave, I would be busted by someone: a nosy neighbor peeking through a curtain, a teacher, a family member. And truly, I believe that is the way that my son understood it last night too. In this world of technology, we can be even more assured that “someone always sees” and might even record it to be posted online for all of time. As an adult, I understand her words as it relates to my character and that quote about what I do when I think no one is watching.

As a parent, I hear Mom’s words in a whole new way. I understand that my little guy is watching and the pressure is on me to make the same good choices that I expect him to make. Those big blue eyes do not miss a trick. He is the observer of all observers and since he believes I have Mommy Superpowers; I better make sure that I am using my superpowers for good, not for evil.

But as a person trying to be a good human, I hope that that  ”Someone” sees when I have tried to use my superpowers for good. I hope it’s not all about being caught in my shortcuts or bad choices, but also in the positive contributions and examples that I attempt every now and then. Whether “Someone” is my little boy or a stranger on the street, I hope that whoever is seeing me is inspired to do at least as well as I did in that situation, or hopefully even better. And if my behavior is not my finest moment, then I hope the observer sees me acknowledge and apologize for that.

For a day, walk through your life with the idea that “Someone Always Sees”. What is that mysterious “Someone” seeing? And more than that….look in the mirror at the end of your day. There will be a “Someone” returning your stare. What does he or she think of what you did that day? How did you use your Superpowers?