The Mother's Smile: Philosophical Formation in the Welcome of Mothers and Friends - Hardcover

by Esther Lightcap Meek (Author), D. C. Schindler (Foreword by)

From birth, the intimate, face-to-face encounters of life form each person in a natural, everyday philosophy. Mother's delighted welcome invites her tiny child into a fundamental vision of reality and models flourishing involvement with it. Sustained and matured in the gaze of certain friends throughout life, seeing oneself being seen with delight grows a "yes" to the world, a sense of one's existence, a regard for others, and a lifelong desire for the face of God. In this modern age skewed by a philosophy of isolation, suspicion, and critique, returning to a primal philosophy of welcome brings personal and cultural healing. It heightens wonder and wisdom, professional and every-day. And it means that people render profound philosophical service when they delight in their children and friends.

Author Biography

Esther Lightcap Meek is Professor of Philosophy Emerita at Geneva College in Western Pennsylvania. She has authored several books of philosophy for everyday life, work, and worship, including Doorway to Artistry: Attuning Your Philosophy to Enhance Your Creativity (2023).