Monday, April 19, 2010

Simple Things

My son called me on Saturday.  A phone call just a simple thing really.   For nothing in particular, just to say hi and to tell me about his week.  It was nice.  I appreciated it and it got  me thinking.  I like my kids, I always have.  Which is not to say that there haven't been times when I haven't wanted to pull my hair out - or theirs, because I have.  Just that I like them and I as they have gotten older and grown into young adults I appreciate and admire the people that they are becoming or have become.  I like talking to them, hearing about their days, their relationships, their ups and downs, what they are passionate about, what makes them happy and sad.  Anything.  Everything.  Learning about them, enjoying them, living with them.  It makes me realize how lucky, no how blessed I am.  They are here and I can talk to them, I can hug them and tell them that I appreciate them, that I love them. 
It makes me think about my brother, missing his son.  Not having the opportunity to hold him one last time, not knowing that the last time that he spoke to him would be the last time.  Would it make a difference?  What would he say to Daniel?  What would he do?  What would you say to your child if you knew that when he/she walked out the door they wouldn't be coming back?  Would you do something different, say something different?  Pete told me that he was sure that Daniel knew that he was loved, what a gift to be able to give our children.  To know that they are loved, they are wanted.   He should take comfort in that. 
We can't know.  Pete didn't know that Daniel wouldn't be coming back.  But, would that have changed things?  Would the end result have been any different?  Who's to know.  Some would argue that when it is your time, it's your time.  I don't know the answer to that.  What I do know is that we can only do the best that we can do.  That's all.  We raise our children with love.  We try to teach them to love others, to live compassionately, to be kind, to be truthful, to be hopeful, to be prayerful, and thoughtful and everything that we want and hope for them to be.  And we pray, and we pray and we pray.  We pray that some of it took hold, something sunk in, somewhere along the way, our words became more than just words, they realized that love was more than just a four letter word it is a verb-an action word.  As their parents, their community, we provided the action, we showed it to them, mentored them in the ways of love so that they might mentor others.  And if they do?  Well, then maybe, we've done our part of our job right. 
Reach out today and do a simple thing to let someone know that they are loved, that they are thought of, that they are a cherished part of your life.  Call them, hug them, tell them or just listen to them as they tell you about their day or their passion or whatever it is they might want to tell you about. 
Life is fragile, tenuous at best.  Hold on to those you hold dear, cherish those ordinary moments with them, count you blessings and never stop praying.

1 comment:

  1. What a heartfelt post. I tell my family that I love them everyday. Not just with words but with my actions. And when I do tell them that I make sure they understand that they are not just words.
    My girls tell me I am too lovable,teehee.

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