Once upon a time, two cousins of indeterminate, but “basically middle school to high school age,” were visiting family members in a different country. 

Upon returning, they were back to their familiar schedules, spending the days at school, and evenings at musical instrument lessons and ballet, and fencing or whatever else the bourgeoisie deemed stylish at the time.  

Several months passed, and their mutual acquaintances and colleagues couldn’t help but notice that something was different about them. Both.  

They moved differently, interacted differently; their familiar gestures and mannerisms seemed to have disappeared, and they seemed to have picked up a few new ones. Each. 

(In other words, the friends and peers all wondered if these were actually some very high-level androids impersonating their chums.)

Long story short, the elder girl had taken to moving her head back whilst speaking to others–as in actually tilting back at the neck, as though about to address Heaven–while at other times, her face would fall a bit, chin to her clavicle, almost, as she continued to gaze at the same person or object. 

Those around her began to get a bit creeped out by this, since she now alternated between the two unfamiliar poses, looking, for all the world, as though she was (were??) winding up for a ferocious head-butt, or else as though she were being photographed (and instructed to go Princess Diana Mode, aka peering upwards despite a lowered face). 

The younger lass, in contrast, had begun turning her head to the extreme left or right whilst speaking to someone. This was just as disconcerting to peers, because her eyes remained fixed upon them as she kept talking. 

The weird part was that both of them came out with these new gestures or mannerisms at the same time; perhaps they had gone to some form of spy training or something during that visit? 

Or maybe they were copying some rock stars in a weird music video that no one else had heard of before or seen? (Like ever.)

It was a bit of a mystery to those that knew them already, though people who had just met them recently didn’t necessarily notice it as a change. Weirdness, perhaps, but not something that was actually strange, by dint of it “merely” being or counting as a (marked) deviation from the girls’ baseline behavior.  

The mystery wasn’t solved until a family visit (to their home) months later; one of the few classmates that had stuck with them through the strange posturing  happened to be in attendance on the day of that family visit. 

She noticed that one of the Aunties made that same backward head tilt, and that Gramps did the non-stationary side-eye thing.

“Aha! We shall, most assuredly, I’m sure–and By God’s Generous and Glorious Grace, of course–uncover the heretofore-hidden whys and wherefores this very day!” 

An hour later, the classmate had noted Auntie’s choice of eye-wear, and noticed Gramps’ beautiful, kind eyes. (It had taken this clever, Nancy Drew-like lassie only 15 seconds, truth be told; what a sleuth!)

She knew that the cousins loved these relatives, and that such kindness was a rarity in their lives, particularly from family members and other authority figures. 

“It figures,” she thought. 

Later that evening, in the family room of her own house, she scribbled into her journal. 

“Well, it all makes sense, I’m glad to say! As it happens, Auntie wears bifocals, and Uncle Gramps has a condition where one of his eyes starts or stops focusing in certain situations. I forget what it’s called, BUT aghhh, it SO makes sense! 

The girls just picked up the mannerism of the relative they spent the most time with, and maybe also liked the best. Or have the most in common with. Or just want to be like! 

Like, Chick’s been tilting her head as though switching between the different prescriptions in the glass—even tho she doesn’t wear glasses, much less bifocals, while her cousin, GrrL–two grades behind me and Chickadee–could only be called a “tomboy.” 

So I’m not surprised—not one little bit!—that she started moving her head the same way that her sweet old grandpa does. Even though she doesn’t have issues with focusing (well, her EYES don’t, lol), even though she doesn’t HAVE to turn her head like that in order to be able to see properly, or “in focus.”

It’s interesting, isn’t it? We didn’t have an inkling, lol. Me and the other kids, I mean.  That the girls were copying the behaviour without understanding WHY the people they were (subconsciously?) emulating were acting or moving that way, I mean. 

Or maybe they did know. I don’t know. 

But what I DO know is that this whole “copying stuff without having the thing requiring or triggering the stuff” can be kinda helpful… or pretty problematic. 

COZ, what if a sweet old granny happened to copy a gesture that was like a gang symbol, or an “I got something for ya…” gesture (ack I just thought of like 15 more examples that could make this example even more terrifying. Variations,  I mean… ugh!)?

OR, what if a kid starts head-banging to Metallica without understanding brain damage, or he made that “rock on!” Gesture (devils/goats horns :/) and didn’t understand the satanic symbolism? And some chick at church that he was hoping to marry (in like ten years; after all, they’re only like 12 and this isn’t Saudi) turns away from him in utter despair, since she doesn’t wanna be unequally yoked. Which they WOULD be, if he approved of metallica and felt that it didn’t compromise his walk With Jesus, OR if he was actually just head-banging to early DC Talk records and flashing that rock on thingie, making her think that he either DID have some shady beliefs, or he was a copycat trend-follower of great peer pressureness, on account of the whole “emulating gestures and or slang, even if he had no idea what it COULD mean.” (And copying trendy movements is SUPER-not-cool, you know? I mean, why doesn’t he make up his own, instead of being just a random sheep, following the Pied Piper, and, like… blowing in the wind? Hmph.)

OH. And! 

WHAT ABT a 13 month old who confused waving hello with shooting a bird at someone? Well, either got confused or simply learned it wrong, for whatever reason.

(Tho I DO know some people who would have a field day with teaching kids cuss words, and teaching the incorrect words or names of stuff to their kids, just to be “funny.” (I don’t think it’s funny, btw. Having a laugh at the expense of someone you’re supposed to be teaching, of course. (Well “supposed to.” We all know about “supposed to” and “deserve” and “should,” tho, don’t we?) 

I mean; it’s bad enough to teach someone something wrong, or harmful, without fully realizing the dangers yourself. (Or without understanding—or caring “enough” about—the consequences of said actions.) 

Meaning, it’s bad for you, and it’s bad for the kid. To smoke, to seek refuge from relationship problems in a bottle of alcohol, to strike or allow oneself to be struck (whether from fear or low self worth, or like narcissism brainwashingness) 

But this isn’t the only danger; what about teaching or modeling correct behaviors–which the person does learn–except they don’t understand why this is good, or else they do the right thing for the wrong reason, a.k.a. “I was raised this way.”

I can imagine a person showing kindness to others, giving to the poor, listening to the people in their lives, buying gifts that demonstrate thoughtfulness and consideration on the part of the giver, even praying before meals. Going to church. Reading The Bible. Even saying, “I love Jesus and I am a Christian!”

Without having a relationship With Him, though; without giving Him your life and making Him The LORD of your life, aka without… being saved. 

Not “I am good without God! I don’t need religion to be a good person!” But rather, behaving as a Christian is “supposed to,” without actually BEING one, without BEING right With God. 

NOT “Being a lukewarm Christian,” but literally thinking “of COURSE I’m a christian! I got baptised in college and everything!”

I can’t decide whether it’s worse to say “I ain’t no theist, but I be a nice guy nonetheless!” or to say “I’m a Christian!” but find out that one hasn’t actually turned over his free will To God, and is NOT InDwelt By The PRECIOUS Holy Spirit! 

“Huh?” 

~ 

Friendly Chick, startled at a loud crash outside, drops her pen and journal onto the floor (on accident); after a few moments of “What on EARTH should I do??”

She begins to both pray and gather easily-weaponisable, erm, weapons from around the room. Just in case there be varmints or vermin (of any sort), of course.

Still on an emotional high from her theory-crafting fun and games, she rushes into the next room, from which the unfamiliar sound had emanated.

“The faster I whoop the TRASH out of this PEST, the faster I can go back to muttering and scribbling. Hmph!”

Just then, she caught sight of the sound-maker… and began to laugh. The kind that makes your side hurt for an hour or two.

~~

DUN DUN DUN!

Thus endeth Part 1 of the EYES ARE WINDOWS Series! 

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll find out about Friendly Chick’s machinations against the Good Without God Movement, what colour Auntie’s glasses were, and WHAT on EARTH had caused that crash!