The Value of Once-in-a-Lifetime Encounters: Lessons from a Parent and Child

The other day, at an art museum, I met a parent and their child.


The children were playing together for just a short while beside an installation.

As they were leaving, the parent ran over and handed me a postcard from the museum shop.

“I was happy you played with us,” they said.

That was all they added.

Usually, this might be a situation where one would think about the “next steps,” such as whether to exchange contact information or offer some kind of return gesture.

However, strangely, such thoughts did not arise.

That is because it did not feel like they were seeking an ongoing exchange, but rather an act of simply trying to preserve this moment as it was.

It is not only long-lasting relationships that are precious.

Something indelible resides precisely within a single, fleeting intersection.

A single card handed to me.

Along with its quiet texture, I felt that a certain memory would remain within my son as well.

In the way that moment existed,
I believe there is the value of a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.


—What I was taught by a parent and child.