Just One Look

Our eyes are probably the most powerful possession in our arsenal. They can speak without words.

Imagine a park or picturesque college campus. A young man is leaning back against a stately, old tree. As the leafy canopy above him flutters in the breeze, he's sprinkled and splashed with sunlight. One of his knees is bent to support a rather thick paperback, but he's no longer interested in his book. No, he keeps glancing at a trio of girls sitting at a picnic table a short distance away—or rather, one of the girls.

We don't need to know why her gaze flicks up that first time. What matters is her indrawn breath, her sudden silence. Her lashes coyly drop then slowly sweep open again. Their eyes connect and she retreats in surprise and her cheeks bloom with color.

His smile is subtle. He’s encouraged. He looks down at his book, unable to focus on the text. His gaze inevitably returns to the girl and he catches her looking at him. There's a flash of beautiful teeth behind his smile. Though she averts her eyes, she’s smiling too. She can’t resist what’s happening and her attention strays back to him.

What color are his eyes? Does it matter? They could be a warm, rich brown. They could be a blue, so vivid and intense it takes your breath away. The color is irrelevant because their power comes from the intimacy of simply looking back at someone. When people do that, there simply is no one else. The world recedes and all they know is they're sharing a moment.  

What will come of it? I'd like to think this young man closes his book, grabs the backpack beside him and gets to his feet. The group of girls will fall silent when he approaches their table. He'll swing his bag onto his shoulder and venture a friendly, "Hi."

The pretty girl, the object of his attention, will find herself smiling back and invite him to join them. Hopefully, in due course, her friends will make a graceful exit and allow another fresh and wonderful romance to unfold. But then, I'm an optimist.


Originally posted 8/28/2012