Tenderness

Short Essay

I ask myself: Where does tenderness come from? How does it become disconnected? These questions weigh on my heart, stirring a quiet curiosity. Was I born with it, or did the world around me shape it? Did I let it fade during hardship, or did I forget how to nurture it within myself?

Isn’t it funny how a single word can ignite the flame of reminisces? The mind’s eye travels at infinite speed, swiftly shifting through moments, diving into the deep caves of my heart to shovel up that one memory that connects me to a specific moment. For me, this journey is a reconstructed rewiring of my brain process. Over time, I’ve learned to show myself tenderness and let it take root in my heart.

I find that even the smallest measure of tenderness can open doors to forgiveness and peace. I connect the grit and rigor of chasing my heart to the quiet beauty of compassion. I see tenderness as a binding thread, like a wooden spoon tied to the end of a stereo wire in a triangle-shaped stretched between trees, holding together a fragile but vital connection to high-frequency communication.

For the longest time, I never thought about tenderness or made space for it. It never crossed my mind, much less settled in my heart. But lately, I’ve encountered it more than three times in just as many days: once in a conversation with an athlete, then with another, and finally, with my youngest daughter and my wife. Each conversation was different, but they shared a common thread: the transformative power of tenderness.

As I explore tenderness and learn how unfamiliar it once felt to me. I water the tree of tenderness rooted in my heart. I choose not to overanalyze it through writing in this infancy of time. Instead, I dance with it, seeking genuine actions within myself and with those around me.

Tenderness gives me more than a feeling; it’s a vital fuel source for me, fostering grace and wonder. This grace and wonder shapes how I dance with kindness and love; expressing the wonderful fuel of tenderness that runs through my body and is driven by my heart.