The early mornings near Angkor Wat always feel sacred. Mist floats between ancient stones, and the forest slowly wakes with soft movement overhead.
It was during one of these quiet mornings that I noticed a newborn monkey lying slightly apart from the troop. Not far—just far enough to feel different.
The baby was small, its body thin beneath soft fur. It tried to lift its head but seemed to tire quickly. Nearby, its young mother moved from branch to branch, distracted by older troop members competing for fruit.
At first, I assumed she would return quickly. Most mothers do.
But minutes stretched longer than expected.
The baby let out a faint sound—not loud, not urgent, just searching. When the mother finally returned, she picked the infant up gently. There was no harshness, no rejection. But something felt uncertain in her movements. She repositioned the baby twice before allowing it to nurse.
In the wild, consistent nursing is everything. Without it, strength fades quietly.
Over the next few days, I saw the same pattern. The mother seemed inexperienced, easily pulled into the troop’s movements. The newborn often lay waiting. Each time she returned, she showed care—but not yet the steady rhythm that newborns depend on.
The baby’s grip weakened slightly. It clung, but not firmly. Its eyes closed often, conserving energy.
Watching this unfold felt deeply familiar in a human way. In the U.S., new parents often speak about how overwhelming early parenthood can be. Exhaustion. Distraction. Fear of doing something wrong. That universal learning curve was playing out right here in the forest.
Then something changed.
An older female began lingering closer. She didn’t interfere. She simply stayed nearby when the mother moved. Gradually, the young mother spent longer stretches sitting still, holding her baby close.
The newborn responded almost immediately—nursing longer, gripping tighter.
Weakness hadn’t come from lack of love. It came from inexperience.
And slowly, through observation and time, both mother and baby began finding their rhythm.
